>\-*-'*»^jJtti^ 


x-A.   oivii/  1  <^]n 


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IHE  LIFE 


J 


KaNDOLPH  F  AIRFAX 


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k  •• 


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A  SKETCH 


OF 


THE  LIFE 


OF 


Randolph  Pairfax 


A  Private  in  the  Ranks  of  the  Rockbridge  Artillery,  attached  to 

the  "  Stonewall  Brigade,"  and  afterwards  to  the  First 

Regiment  Mrginia  Light  Artillery,  Second  Corps 

Army  of  Northern  Virginia, 


INCLUDING   A    BRIEF   ACCOUNT   OF 


Jackson's  Celebrated  Valley  Campaign, 


BY 


REV.  PHILIP  SLAUGHTER,  D.  D. 

Rector  of  Emmanuel  C/iurch,  Culpeper  Co.,  Va. 


Privately  Printed  from  Third  Edition,  1878. 


RICHMOND: 

W.M.   ELLIS   JONES,   HOOK    AND   JOli    PRINTER. 
1902. 


'  J 


DEDICATION 


'T^lIIS  Memoir  of  Randolph  Fairfax  is  dedicated  to  William  Corcoran 
and  George  Peabody  Eustis,  sons  of  the  late  Hon.  George  Eustis,  M. 
C,  of  Louisiana,  and  Louise,  daughter  of  William  Wilson  Corcoran,  of 
Washington :  by  the  godfather  of  their  mother,  and  the  old  friend  and 
pastor  of  their  grandfather  W.  W.  Corcoran,  and  of  their  great-grandfather 
the  late  gallant  Commodore  Charles  Morris,  U.  S.  N.,  and  his  venerable 
widow,  still  surviving:  with  the  hope  and  the  prayer,  that  the  brief  and 
beautiful  life  of  this  young  Christian  hero  and  martyr  to  his  sense  of  duty 
may  be  to  them  an  example  and  an  inspiration. 

Among  the  stars  that  gild  the  night 

Of  our  deep  humiliation, 
Young  Randolph  Fairfax  lends  his  light 

To  the  lustrous  constellation 
Of  heroes,  statesmen,  saints  and  sages, 
Who  will  be  known  to  after  ages 

As  the  glorious  Southern  Cross.* 


♦These  lines  are  from  an  unpublished,  and  Indeed  an  unwritten,  poera  spoken  by  the 
author  at  the  Centenary  of  Old  Christ  Church,  Alexandria,  in  November,  1874,  of  which 
parish  the  Rev.  Bryan  (Hth  Lord  Fairfax)  was  once  the  minister,  and  of  which  General 
George  Washington  and  General  R.  E.  Lee  were  vestrymen  and  communicants. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 


The  first  two  editions  of  this  ^lemoir  were  written  and  printed  in 
18G3-64  (flagrante  hcUo)  during  the  flagrancy  of  civil  war,  when 
the  Nortli  and  South — 

"  Stood  and  frowned  upon  each  other     .     .     . 
Like  cHfl's  that  had  been  rent  asunder." 

It  naturally,  therefore,  reflects  the  passions  of  the  passing  hour. 
Time,  which  adorns  the  ruin  and  beautifies  the  dead,  has  bridged  the 
blood}'  chasm,  and  restored  in  some  measure  the  broken  relations 
of  the  sections.  Had  the  author  and  his  hero  acted  their  several 
parts  under  this  mellowing  influence,  they  would  doubtless  have 
modified  some  statements  and  softened  the  asperity  of  some  epithets. 
The  author  does  not  feel  warranted  in  changing  the  original  so  as 
to  make  it  more  in  luiison  with  the  present  rhythm  of  the  public 
pulse.  The  chief  value  of  such  documents  consists,  not  only  in  re- 
flecting truly  the  "very  age  and  body  of  the  times,  his  form  and 
pressure,"  but  also  the  expression,  which  a  noble  poet  calls  "the 
mind,  the  music  breathing  from  the  face,"  which  is  the  life  and  soul 
of  a  picture. 

It  is  believed  that  more  than  ten  thousand  copies  of  this  Memoir 
were  circulated  in  the  Southern  army  at  the  expense  of  Gen.  E.  E. 
Lee,  Gen.  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  Gen,  Fitz  Lee  and  statf,  and  Col.  Venable, 
Col.  J.  T.  Brown,  and  many  other  officers,  soldiers  and  citizens. 
The  following,  out  of  many  such  letters  to  the  author,  happen  to 
have  been  preserved,  and  are  now  printed  as  illustrations  of  the 

men  and  the  times : 

January  24,  1864. 
Rev.  p.  Slaughter: 

Dear  Sir, — Please  receive  enclosed  a  contribution  ($100)  to  the 
ver}'  laudable  work  alluded  to  so  touchingly  in  church  by  you  to-day. 
It  is  very  desirable  to  place  the  example  of  Private  Randolph  Fair- 
fax before  every  soldier  in  the  army.     I  am  particularly  desirous 


vi  Preface. 

that  my  command  should  have  the  advantage  of  such  a  Christian 
light  to  guide  them  on  their  vray.  How  invincible  would  an  army 
of  such  men  be ! — men  who  never  murmur  and  who  never  flinch ! 

Very  truly  yours, 

J.  E.  B.  Stuart. 

[From  Col.  Brown.] 
My  Dear  Sir: 

If  the  sketch  of  the  life  of  Eandolph  Fairfax  will  not  shortly  be 
published  in  the  form  of  a  tract,  please  send  six  hundred  copies  of 
the  Army  and  Navy  Messenger  containing  it,  to  Eev.  H.  M.  White, 
Chaplain  of  my  regiment.  If  the  tract  should  be  published,  send 
that  number  to  the  same  address.  In  either  case,  call  upon  J.  E. 
Southall,  with  the  rec[uest  that  he  will  pay  for  them  and  forward  the 
account  to  me.  Yours  truly, 

J.  Tiioiipsox  Brown". 

Mr.  Dewy,  of  Xew  York,  spoken  of  in  the  text,  said,  in  a  letter 
written  to  Randolph's  aunt,  Mrs.  Gouverneur  Morris : 

"My  brief  interview  with  him  in  1858  has  been  among  my  bright- 
est retrospections.  !My  correspondence  with  him  put  into  my  pos- 
session letters  that  could  have  no  more  value  for  me  if  they  were 
written  in  characters  of  gold.  His  daguerreotype  is  a  fit  compan- 
ion to  Mr.  Slaughter's  narrative,  so  admirabl}'  drawn.  Xo  one  who 
reads  those  pages  and  then  looks  upon  the  picture,  should  question 
but  that  noble  beauty  mirrored  the  "angel  soul  within."  I  know 
many  lads  who  were  about  Randolph's  age  when  I  knew  him,  to 
whom  I  vrould  be  glad  to  send  this  memoir.  It  might  suggest 
worthier  thoughts  and  lead  to  nobler  deeds.  Should  another  edition 
be  published,  I  beg  to  be  allowed  to  subscribe  for  fifty  copies,  and  I 
will  put  in  a  photograph  of  him  as  a  frontispiece  to  each  copy  before 
presentation.  Please  express  to  Dr.  Fairfax  and  family  how  deeply 
I  loved  their  noble  boy,  how  sacredly  I  cherish  his  memory,  how 
sincerely  I  sympathize  with  their  loss,  and  how  happy  I  am  that 
they  can  confidently  expect  to  meet  his  pure  soul  in  a  world  where 
wars  and  their  desolations  are  unknown." 

A  distinguished  officer  of  the  United  States  Armv  said  in  a  late 
letter,  that  if  he  could  procure  a  copy  of  the  original  IMemoir  and 
of  Gen.  Stuart's  autograph  letter,  he  would  have  them  bound  in 
the  hisrhest  and  most  durable  stvle  of  Parisian  art.    Thus  did  fellow- 


Preface.  vii 

soldiers  and  fellow-citizens,  friend  and  foe,  join  in  laying  laurels 
upon  the  tomb  of  this  young  Virginian  martyr,  to  whom  we  may 
apply  the  words  originally  said  of  his  illustrious  kinsman,  Lucius 
Cary  (Lord  Falkland),  who  fell  at  Xewbury  in  1643,  "He,  though 
not  inferior  to  his  neighbors  in  descent  and  honor,  knowing  well 
how  much  more  glorious  it  is  to  be  the  first  than  the  last  of  a 
noble  family  (blood  without  virtue  making  vice  but  more  conspicu- 
ous), was  so  far  from  relying  upon  that  empty  title  that  he  seems, 
ipse  suos  genuisse  parentcs,  to  have  reflected  more  lustre  upon  his 
kniffhtlv  ancestn'  than  he  received  from  them." 

The  following  notice  of  the  Memoir  of  Randolph  Fairfax  ap- 
peared in  The  Edinburgh  Review  of  July,  1870.  Had  the  reviewer 
known  the  many  other  streams  of  good  blood  that  were  tributary 
to  that  which  flowed  through  the  Fairfax  channel,  and  which  met 
in  the  veins  of  Randolph  Fairfax,  he  would  have  found  other  illus- 
trations of  his  doctrine  of  hereditary  genius  : 

"Gallon  on  Hereditary  Genius. 

"Perhaps  it  is  no  mere  indulgence  of  the  imagination  to  point 
out,  as  a  singular  instance  of  pertinacity  of  family  type,  the  for- 
tunes of  the  famous  house  of  Fairfax.  The  Parliamentary  General 
left  no  male  issue ;  and  through  marriage  with  the  heiress  of  Cole- 
pepper,  his  collateral  successor  acquired  a  vast  estate  in  Virginia. 
His  descendants  have  multiplied  in  that  region  of  the  United  States. 
The  present  Lord  Fairfax  is  a  physician  at  Baltimore.  Now  for 
these  last  two  hundred  years,  they  seem  to  have  retained  among 
them  the  leading  qualities  which  characterized  the  chief  of  the  name, 
a  chivalrous  turn  of  mind,  military  aptitude,  and  religious  zeal. 
Irving  attributes  a  good  deal  of  the  character  of  General  Washing- 
ton, as  formed  in  early  life,  to  his  familiarity  with  his  relations, 
the  Fairfaxes,  especially  William,  a  man  of  liberal  education  and 
intrinsic  worth,  who  lived  at  Belvoir,  the  wooded  promontory 
which  projects  into  the  Potomac  immediately  south  of  Mount  Ver- 
non. In  the  late  civil  war  all  the  numerous  Fairfaxes  adopted 
eagerly  the  side  of  the  South,  except  one,  and  he  was  the  officer  de- 
tached by  Captain  Wilkes  to  arrest  Mason  and  Slidell.  The  younger 
members  took  up  arms  mostly  as  privates,  and  deeply  imbued  with 


viii  Preface. 

that  spirit  of  warlike  Puritanism  of  which  Stonewall  Jackson  was 
an  exalted  type  as  the  original  Thomas  Fairfax  himself.  One,  Eu- 
gene^,  fell  at  Williamsburg,  a  devoted  Christian.  Another,  Randolph 
Fairfax,  is  the  subject  of  a  beautiful  and  touching  piece  of  bio- 
graphy by  the  Rfev.  Philip  Slaughter,  of  Eichmond.  He  entered 
Jackson's  army  as  a  private  in  the  Rockbridge  Artillery  at  the  age 
of  eighteen.  The  letters  of  this  gallant  youth,  chiefly  to  his  mother, 
are  models  of  simple,  unconscious  enthusiasm.  He  was  of  the  Epis- 
copal Church,  and  well  known  among  his  comrades,  among  whom  a 
similar  zealous  temperament  largely  prevailed,  by  the  well-worn 
New  Testament  which  was  his  constant  companion  in  the  bivouac, 
after  his  Prayer-Book,  second  only  in  his  estimation,  had  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  the  Yankees  with  his  luggage.     He  had  no  doubt  of 

his  cause  or  of  the  means  to  ensure  victory He  was  killed  on 

the  spot  by  a  fragment  of  shell  in  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg." 


INTKOUUCTION. 


Gray's  Elegy —  77«;  'South  a  Urand  Cenuiiry — Honor  to  Privaten  in  tlie  Hanks. 

Gray's  "Elegy  in  a  Country  Churchyard''  owes  its  world-wide 
popularity,  not  merely  to  the  elegance  of  the  language  and  the  musi- 
cal flow  of  the  verse,  but  chiefly  to  the  fact  that  it  is  a  true  expres- 
sion of  the  thoughts  and  feelings  which  such  a  scene  naturally 
awakens  in  the  human  mind.  Few  could  have  painted  the  picture, 
but  every  enlightened  person  recognizes  in  it  his  own  likeness.  If 
such  a  subject  as  a  single  country  churchyard  inspired  such  a  poem 
in  an  ungenial  clime,  what  a  grand  elegy  the  poet  would  have  written 
had  he  been  born  in  our  day  in  the  sunny  South,  whose  soil  is  cut  up 
with  sepulchres,  and  whose  blue  sky  is  the  ceiling  of  a  vast  series  of 
vaults,  in  which  are  entombed  hosts  of  young  cavaliers,  who,  had 
they  been  developed  by  time  and  culture,  might  have  commanded 
the  applause  of  listening  senators  or  swayed  the  rod  of  empire. 
When  old  men  die  it  seems  almost  as  natural,  and  awakens  but  little 
more  emotion  than  when  the  evening  sun  goes  down.  When  little 
infants  in  their  early  dawn  close  their  soft  eyes  and  breathe  no  more, 
we  wonder  what  could  have  been  the  design  of  an  all-wise  Provi- 
dence in  bringing  into  the  world  so  many  young  immortals  just  to 
look  around  them  and  to  die.  But  when  the  maid  in  the  bud  of 
her  beauty,  and  the  young  man  in  the  bloom  of  his  youth,  standing 
in  the  midst  of  the  landscape,  and  while  hope  is  gladdening  their 
vision  with  its  enchanting  perspectives,  are  suddenly  cut  down  like 
the  flower,  "these  are  the  tombs  that  claim  the  tender  tear  and  the 
elegiac  song."  But  men  in  the  ranks  generally  have  no  poet,  and 
they  die,  not  unwept,  but  "unhonored  and  unsung." 

Officers  reap  all  the  honors  of  war.  While  they  live  their  brows 
are  crowned  with  laurels,  and  their  ears  are  regaled  with  the  sweet 
music  of  praise;  and  when  they  die,  their  names  and  memories  go 
down  to  future  ages  embodied  in  monumental  marble,  or  emblazoned 
upon  the  pictured  pages  of  history.  In  the  words  of  Bishop  Elliott 
of  Georgia :  "Officers  therefore  may  have  motives  other  than  the 
cause.    But  the  soldier  in  the  ranks  can  have  none.     He  knows  that 


X  Intkoduction. 

his  valor  must  generally  pass  unnoticed  save  in  the  narrow  circle 
of  his  company;  that  his  sacrifices  can  bring  no  honor  to  himself 
nor  reputation  to  his  family."  He  knows  that  if  he  survives,  he 
lives  only  to  enter  upon  new  dangers,  with  the  same  hopelessness 
of  distinction ;  that  if  he  dies,  he  will  fall  unepitaphed,  perhaps  un- 
coffined ;  and  yet  he  goes  into  battle  with  unfaltering  steps,  proud  to 
do  his  duty.  His  comrades  fall  around  him  thick  and  fast;  j^et 
M'ith  a  sigh  and  tear  he  closes  his  ranks  and  presses  on  to  a  like  des- 
tiny. Sublime  devotion  !  If  honor  should  be  given  "to  whom  honor 
is  due,"  then  let  us  render  everlasting  honor  to  "the  noble  army  of 
martyrs"  whose  blood  cries  to  Heaven  from  the  ground  on  Avhich 
they  fell,  arid  to  those  who  yet  fill  the  ranks  of  the  Confederate 
Army. 


RANDOLPH  FAIRFAX. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Randolfih's  Ancexfnj — Ifis  Personal  Appearance — Ifis  Dntifulness — The  Boat 
Incident — Hts  Excurgion  through  the  Xur(h — His  Acquaintance  ivilh  Mr. 
Deiiij. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a  private  in  the  ranks.  The  blood 
of  historical  families  met  in  his  veins,  and  two  of  them  are  repre- 
sented in  his  name — Randolph  Faiufax.  Randolph  was  the  son 
of  Dr.  Orlando  Fairfax,  of  Alexandria,  who  is  the  grandson  of  Rev. 
Bryan  Fairfax,  who  was  the  Rector  of  Fairfax  Parish,  in  the  county 
of  Fairfax,  and  who  inherited  the  title  of  Lord  Fairfax.  His 
mother  was  the  daughter  of  Jefferson  Carv  and  Virginia  Randolph, 
the  sister  of  Governor  Thomas  Mann  Randolph,  who  married  the 
daughter  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  the  author  of  the  Declaration  of 
American  Independence,  and  the  Father  of  the  University  of  Vir- 
ginia. 

Randolph  was  born  in  the  city  of  Alexandria,  Va.,  on  the  23d  of 
Xovember,  1842.  From  his  infancy  he  was  remarkable  for  an  al- 
most womanly  beauty.  His  eyes  were  hazel  and  his  hair  of  a  golden 
brown,  his  features  regular  and  his  complexion  brilliant.  These 
soft  beauties  as  he  grew  in  stature  were  developed  into  a  manly  form, 
which,  though  not  tall,  was  distinguished  for  a  noble  and  graceful 
bearing.  His  outward  form  was  the  fair  index  of  inward  purity. 
Even  in  his  childhood  there  was  an  absence  of  the  waywardness 
and  fits  of  passion  which  generally  characterize  that  age.  P^rom  his 
earliest  years  it  was  said  of  him  by  those  who  knew  him  best, 
^'Randolph  is  actuated  by  a  desire  to  do  his  duty ;  his  conduct  seems 
to  be  governed  by  principle." 

After  passing  through  an  infant  school  with  great  credit,  he  en- 
tered, at  ten  years  of  age,  the  High  School  of  Alexandria,  kept  by 
that  excellent  preceptor,  Caleb  Hallowell.  Even  then  there  was  so 
much  blended  dignity  and  gentleness  in  his  bearing  that  his  teacher 
was  wont  to  say  of  him,  "Randolph  is  a  little  gentleman'';  and  his 
associates  never  treated  hira  with  rudeness,  nor  took  those  liberties 
to  repel  which  demands  the  exhibition  of  what  is  called  spirit  in  a 
boy.  He  was  much  beloved  by  his  schoolfellows,  because,  they  said, 
Randolph  never  got  angry  and  always  played  fairly.  And  yet  he 
was  not  grave  nor  austere.  Xone  ])artook  with  more  glee  than  he 
of  the  games  .of  the  playground,  or  displayed  more  agility  and  skill 
in  them.     The  following  incident  will  illustrate  his  sense  of  duty, 


2  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Maivlolph  Fairfax. 

even  at  that  early  age.  He  was  a  member  of  a  boating  club  which 
used  on  summer  afternoons  to  go  rowing  on  the  Potomac  river. 
Sailing  had  been  prohibited  by  his  mother  as  dangerous.  At  din- 
ner one  day  he  said  to  his  mother,  "The  boys  of  our  club  want  to 
have  a  sail  this  afternoon ;  may  I  join  them  ?"  She  replied,  "Xo, 
my  son ;  the  day  is  very  hot,  and  I  am  sure  there  will  be  a  storm, 
and  I  should  not  have  a  moment's  peace  if  I  knew  you  were  on  the 
river  in  a  sail-boat."  He  said  no  more,  but  late  in  the  evening 
he  came  in  heated  and  dust}^  and  told  his  mother  that  the  boys, 
when  they  found  he  could  not  join  them  in  a  sail,  gave  it  up,  "and 
we  rowed,"  he  said,  "four  miles  up  the  river.  The  wind  was  then 
fair  for  sailing  and  they  wished  to  raise  the  sail.  I  insisted  upon 
their  doing  it,  and  made  them  put  me  ashore  and  I  walked  home. 
It  was  hard  to  do,  mamma,"  he  said,  "and  I  have  had  a  very  hot 
walk,  but  I  could  not  disobey  you."  The  example  had  its  effect 
upon  his  young  companions,  for  the  mother  of  one  of  them  remarked 
in  a  few  days  to  Eandolph's  father,  "You  may  trust  that  boy  any- 
vv"here." 

In  the  months  of  August  and  September,  1854,  Eandolph  made  a 
visit  to  his  aunt,  Mrs.  Gouverneur  Morris,  of  New  York,  who  had 
a  son  near  his  own  age,  and  accompanied  them  on  a  tour  throughout 
the  Northern  States.  During  this  tour  he  visited  many  places 
famous  as  the  sceues  of  interesting  events  in  our  first  Eevolution. 
His  uncle,  Mr.  Morris,  being  well  acquainted  with  these  places  and 
their  historical  associations,  made  the  excursion  both  delightful  and 
profitable  to  him.  While  on  a  steamboat  on  Lake  Champlain,  a 
gentleman,  attracted  by  his  looks,  walked  up  to  Eandolph  and  en- 
tered into  conversation  with  him,  asking  his  name,  and  introducing 
himself  as  Mr.  Dewy,  of  New  York,  once  a  Senator  of  that  State. 
On  learning  Eandolph's  name,  he  remarked,  "I  would  not  like  to 
have  a  name  already  so  famous  that  I  could  add  nothing  to  it." 
Eandolph  replied,  "It  is  the  name  of  my  ancestors ;  and  if  they  have 
made  it  famous,  I  at  least  will  try  to  do  nothing  to  impair  its  bright- 
ness." This  gentleman  continued  with  the  party,  and  was  several 
days  with  Eandolph  at  Saratoga,  and  when  they  parted,  solicited  a 
correspondence  with  him.  Mr.  Dewy  was  a  man  between  thirty  and 
forty  years  of  age,  and  of  considerable  literary  attainments.  He 
frequently  sent  Eandolph  copies  of  his  speeches  and  lectures.  For 
some  years  he  also  had  books  and  other  new  publications  sent  by  the 
publishers  in  New  York  to  Eandolph  at  his  several  schools.  His 
letters,  which  we  have  had  the  pleasure  of  reading,  were  quite  ro- 
mantic in  their  expression  of  friendship,  and  modestly  apologized 
for  intruding  on  one  who  already  had  so  manv  to  love  him. 


SIciiih  of  f/if  ]/it\   of'   liiiiiiliil j)})  Kiiirl'ii.r. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Itandulplt  (it  tlw  JItalt  School — His  Birlhdinj  Present — His  lifligious  Jmpres- 
siom — Mrs.  I'irginia  Vary — The  Grndmother's  Mission — His  First  Com- 
mnniun — flis  liales  of  Conduct — The  Gold  Medal  and  nt},,r  Prizes — His 
Diary. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year  18.57  Ran(lol])h  entered  the  p]i)iscoi)al  High 
School  (near  the  'I'heologieal  Seniinarv  of  Virginia),  under  the  eare 
of  the  Kev.  JoJin  P.  ]\lcCiuire.  On  his  fourteenth  hirtlulay  J{an- 
dolph  requested  his  mother  to  give  him  a  Bihle  as  a  birthday  pres- 
ent, which  he  said  he  would  try  and  make  a  good  use  of.  It  is  not 
k)iown  at  what  time  he  received  his  first  religious  impressions.  He 
had  been  from  his  earliest  years  a  Sunday-school  scholar  of  St. 
I'auTs  Church.  Alexandria,  of  which  the  llev.  James  T.  Johnston 
was  Kector.  Besides  the  example  and  instruction  of  father  and 
mother,  both  of  whom  were  communicants  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  he 
was  the  special  subject  of  the  prayers  and  nurture  of  his  grand- 
mother. ^Jrs.  ^'irginia  Cary,  an  earnest  Christian  and  highly  ac- 
complished woman,  the  tutelary  angel  of  the  house. 

Beautiful  and  almost  divine  is  the  mission  of  an  enlightened  and 
Christian  grandmother.  Free  from  the  care  of  the  house,  and  re- 
tired from  the  world  and  its  frivolities,  she  enriches  the  house  of  her 
daughter  with  the  treasure  of  her  experience,  diffusing  joy  and  doing 
good.  She  possesses  that  kindness  which  nothing  can  exhaust,  and 
that  infinite  tact  which,  springing  from  love,  comprehends  and  an- 
tici])ates  every  ill.  She  lives  her  life  over  again  in  her  children 
and  grandchildren;  and  of  all  the  human  family,  she  alone  enjoys 
the  beautiful  privilege  of  not  feeling  the  pains  of  growing  old.  A 
great  author,  tracing  the  ideal  type  of  a  perfect  woman,  gives  her  a 
grandmother  for  her  instructress,  remarking  at  the  same  time  that 
her  mother  was  an  excellent  woman.  Madame  Cam]ian  was  heard 
to  say  that  of  all  the  children  entrusted  to  her  care,  the  best  in- 
structed had  been  brought  up  by  a  grandmother.  She  did  not  mean 
the  best  instructed  in  letters,  but  in  piety,  in  order,  in  sul)mission, 
in  obedience,  and  in  gentleness.  We  do  not  nuiintain  thai  the 
grandmother  should  supersede  the  mother,  but  only  inspire  and  di- 
rect her  in  tho.se  gracious  ways  which  lead  to  virtue  by  j)leasing  ex- 
ample— ways  which  woman  knows,  ])ut  of  which  man  cannot  catch 
the  secret.  Such  a  grandmother  it  was  the  ])rivilege  of  Handolph  to 
have  in  his  home.  In  addition  to  her  natural  gifts  and  high  cul- 
ture, Mrs.  Cary  possessed  rare  colloquial  powers,  which  made  her  a 


4  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax. 

charming  companion.  But  above  all,  she  was  a  devout  Christian, 
beautified  by  the  graces  of  faith,  hope  and  charity.  Her  charming 
talent  for  narrative  made  her  the  especial  favorite  of  children,  and 
she  was  so  thoughtful  of  their  pleasures  that  she  generally  had  by 
her  a  little  store  of  good  things  for  their  gratification.  There  are 
those  whose  memory  recalls  with  admiration  and  gratitude  the  form 
of  that  venerable  woman  seated  in  "the  old  arm-chair"  in  the  sweet 
parlor  at  twilight,  with  the  lovely  group  of  grandchildren  at  her 
knees,  looking  up  into  her  bright  face,  and  drinking  in  the  lessons 
of  wisdom  and  love  Avhich  are  bearing  fruit  in  eternity,  for  she  has 
welcomed  one  of  her  chief  treasures  to  her  heavenly  home. 

If  it  be  true,  as  a  German  author  has  beautifully  said,  that  "every 
first  thing  continues  forever  with  a  child — that  the  first  color,  the 
first  music,  the  first  flower,  paint  the  foreground  of  life — ^that  every 
new  educator  efl:ects  less  than  his  predecessor,"  then  we  must  con- 
clude that  Eandolph  received  in  his  own  home  the  .^eeds  that  were 
now  beginning  to  spring  up  to  view,  and  soon  commenced  bearing 
their  fruits.  The  Bible  which  his  mother  had  given  him  he  dili- 
gently read.  Upon  entering  the  High  School  he  joined  the  prayer- 
meeting,  and  his  chosen  companions  were  the  more  pious  boys. 
In  the  following  summer  he  expressed  a  desire  to  be  confirmed, 
with  some  of  his  schoolfellows,  in  the  Seminary  Chapel.  His  pas- 
tor. Rev.  Mr.  Johnston,  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  Alexandria,  naturally 
wishing  to  have  the  privilege  of  presenting  so  gentle  a  lamb  of  his 
flock  for  this  interesting  rite  in  his  own  parish  church,  Randolph 
consented  to  postpone  his  confirmation,  and  made  his  first  profession 
of  religion  by  communion  in  St.  Paul's  Church,  four  months  before 
he  reached  his  fifteenth  year.  To  show  his  conception  of  the  Chris- 
tian character  of  which  he  had  just  made  profession,  we  transcribe 
from  his  diary,  commenced  about  this  time,  the  following  rules  of 
conduct : 

"1st.  I  shall  endeavor  from  this  time  to  adhere  to  these  rules, 
and  at  the  end  of  each  day  review  them ;  and 

"2d.  Throughout  each  day  I  shall  try  to  preserve  a  sense  of  the 
presence  of  God,  and  by  this  to  regulate  my  actions. 

"3d.  Feeling  the  salvation  of  my  soul  as  paramount  to  all  other 
aims,  and  that  it  is  my  duty  to  work  in  Christ's  cause  in  season  and 
out  of  season,  I  will  do  my  best  by  word  and  deed  to  lead  others  into 
the  way  everlasting. 

"4th.  Never  to  do  anything  which  I  have  reason  to  suppose  I 
may  afterwards  repent  of,  and  of  which  the  lawfulness  is  doubtful. 


Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax.  5 

"bxh.  Not  to  allow  the  praises  of  men  to  incite  me  to  any  wrong 
action,  feeling  tliat  I  know  the  sinfulness  of  my  heart  belter  than 
others;  and  to  be  continually  on  my  guard  against  pride,  and  tlie 
deceits  of  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil. 

"6th.  To  guard  against  insincerity  and  too  much  levity  in  con- 
versation. To  endeavor  to  deny  myself  in  order  to  be  kind  and 
charitable  to  all  around  me;  more  quick  to  see  the  faults  of  myself 
than  those  of  others,  knowing  that  all  I  have  is  from  God,  and  that 
all  men  are  the  work  of  His  almighty  hand. 

"7th.  To  improve  every  moment  of  time — to  think  much  of  the 
shortness  of  life,  and  that  I  may  at  any  moment  be  called  away  to 
meet  a  just  God. 

"8th.  Xever  to  do  anything  out  of  revenge,  or  to  do  anything  I 
should  justly  think  mean  in  another. 

"9th.  Not  to  speak  evil  of  anotlier  unless  some  particular  good 
come  from  it,  and  not  to  speak  anything  that  may  produce  mirthful- 
ness  on  the  Sabbath  day. 

"10th.  To  inquire  every  night  when  I  go  to  bed.  what  good  I 
have  done,  whether  I  have  been  negligent,  and  what  sins  I  have  com- 
mitted during  the  day. 

"11th.  To  endeavor  to  grow  in  the  knowledge  of  myself  and  of 
my  sins,  and  continually  to  compare  the  great  majesty  of  God  with 
my  own  littleness,  and  to  trust  only  in  Him  to  bring  me  safely 
through  this  life." 

At  the  examination  at  the  High  School,  in  June  of  this  year,  Ran- 
dolph took  the  honors  in  every  class,  and  came  home  laden  with 
medals  and  certificates  of  proficiency.  One  of  the  examiners  ex- 
pressed his  gratification  that  one  of  the  "old  names"  was  again  so 
distinguished.  A  newspaper,  giving  an  account  of  the  examination, 
was  sent  to  his  friend  Mr.  Dewy,  and  elicited  a  highly  complimen- 
tary letter,  in  which  he  affectionately  urged  him  not  to  sacrifice  his 
health  to  his  studies. 

In  the  summer  of  1859,  Randolph  took  the  highest  prize  at  the 
High  School — the  "gold  medal" — besides  many  smaller  prizes.  Mr. 
McGuire,  the  Principal  of  the  High  School,  having  been  asked  by  a 
l)rother  clergvman  who  of  the  bovs  he  had  under  his  charge  he  con- 
sidered  the  most  gifted,  replied,  "Take  him  altogether,  Randolph 
Fairfax."  What  were  his  own  private  thoughts  at  this  intoxicating 
period  of  his  life  we  learn  from  his  diary,  the  existence  of  which 
was  unknown  even  to  his  parents  until  after  his  death,  when  two 
little  manuscript  books  were  found  among  his  papers,  endorsed  "Pri- 


6  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax. 

vate.'"'    In  this  record  of  his  daily  experience  we  find  the  following 
entries  of  this  date : 


"1 


"^I  fear  that  my  worldly  occupations  are  fast  drawing  my  heart 
from  God ;  that  in  my  eagerness  to  be  prepared  for  my  school  exami- 
nations, I  forget  the  great  examination  which  my  soul  must  stand 
at  the  hair  of  God.  Oh!  that  I  could  despise  the  things  of  this 
world ;  could  lay  aside  all  my  vain  ambition,  and  have  the  glory  and 
service  of  God  as  my  chief  ambition  and  desire.  How  little  are 
these  vain  honors  compared  with  the  crown  of  glory !  Oh !  that 
I  could  estimate  them  aright,  and  could  see  myself  as  God  sees  me. 
0  Father,  have  mercy  upon  me  for  Christ's  sake !" 

Again,  on  Tuesday,  21st  of  June,  we  find  the  following  record: 

"Oh !  that  I  could  always  bear  in  mind  that  I  must  one  day  stand 
an  examination  before  the  Judge  of  man;  but  especially  now,  while 
my  scholastic  examinations  are  proceeding.  I  should  not  allow 
them  to  draw  my  attention  from  Heaven,  but  continually  remind 
me  of  that  final  judgment.  Oh  !  if  I  should  then  be  found  wanting. 
0  Father,  grant  me  Thy  grace,  keep  me  from  falling,  and  let  not 
(vich  day  pass  in  forgetfulness  of  Thee,  to  whom  I  owe  all  my 
blessings." 


Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randoljih  Fairfax. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Randolph  at   Vniremty  of  Virginia — ProfcsHor  Minor's  Prayer- Afeeting — Influ- 
ence of  Professors — Graduation — Rules  for  Spending  Sunday. 

From  the  High  School  Kandolph  went  to  Dinwiddle  Academy, 
in  Albemarle.  We  have  but  few  facts  in  relation  to  this  year  of 
his  life,  except  the  most  satisfactory  testimonials  of  his  good  con- 
duct and  pi-olioioncy  in  his  studios.  He  commenced  a  new  diary  at 
this  era  of  his  life,  in  which  we  find  the  following  record  of  his  esti- 
mate of  himself,  which  is  in  striking  contrast  to  the  golden  opinions 
his  conduct  won  from  his  teachers,  schoolfellows  and  associate.^ : 

"October  19th,  1859. 

"0  Father,  in  commencing  to  record  the  feelings  of  my  heart,  pre- 
serve me  from  all  hypocrisy,  enable  me  to  deal  with  my  heart  in  sin- 
cerity, and  keep  me  from  being  deceived  in  a  matter  of  so  much 
importance  as  the  salvation  of  my  soul.  Although  I  profess  to  be  a 
servant  of  God,  I  feel  that  my  conduct  is  little  different  from  that 
of  an  unconverted  soul ;  that  I  have  not  the  single  eye  to  God's  glory, 
and  that  love  to  Christ,  producing  love  to  all  mankind,  which  befit 
a  true  Christian.  My  sinful,  deceitful  heart  is  too  much  engrossed 
in  worldly  cares,  and  the  god  Self  is  worshipped  instead  of  my 
!Makcr.  O  God,  keep  me  from  such  vile  ingratitude  as  to  spurn  the 
offers  of  my  blessed  Saviour,  and  of  rendering  Thee  the  hollow 
service  with  which  I  have  formerly  been  content." 

Tn  the  fall  of  18G0  llandolph  matriculated  at  the  University  of 
Virginia.  His  diligence  and  success  in  his  studies  is  sufhciently  at- 
tested by  the  fact  that  he  graduated  with  distinction  the  fir.?t  ses- 
sion in  French,  Latin,  and  mathematics.  He  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  so  engros.sed  by  his  studies  as  to  have  neglected  the  culture  of 
his  soul.  He  availed  himself  gladly  of  the  means  of  grace  within 
his  reach.  Among  these  was  a  Bible  Class,  taught  by  Professor 
IMiuor,  who  though  a  Professor  of  the  Law,  is  not  ashamed  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ,  and  whose  Bible  Classes  for  students  in  the  chapel 
of  the  University,  and  for  servants  in  his  own  parish  church,  furnish 
a  pleasing  example  of  the  manner  in  which  our  literary  laymen  may 
lay  their  laurels  at  the  foot  of  the  Cross.  It  is  a  matter  of  devout 
tliankfulness  to  Almighty  God  that  the  influence  of  the  Professors 
at  the  I^niversity  of  Virginia  has  been  for  so  nuniy  years  so  decis- 
ively a  Christian  influence.    It  is  a  fact  well  calculated  to  arrest  the 


8  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Eaiuhlph  Fairfax. 

attc'iition  of  careless  young  men,  and  to  encourage  those  who  have 
already  commenced  a  Christian  life,  to  see  men  eminent  in  all  the 
walks  of  science  and  literature  casting  the  weight  of  their  authority 
into  the  scale  of  Christianity.  It  is  believed  that  there  is  not  a  Pro- 
fessor at  the  LTniversity  of  Virginia  who  would  not  gladly  make  his 
attainments  tributary  to  this  great  end. 

From  his  relative,  Julian  Fairfax,  we  have  just  learned  some  in- 
teresting facts,  illustrating  Eandolph's  life  at  the  University.  The 
Christian  Association  was  very  flourishing  at  this  time,  and  Ean- 
dolph  was  a  very  efficient  member  of  it.  By  this  SocietA'  the  Col- 
lege, including  the  dormitories  proper,  and  the  boarding-houses  in 
the  Jicighborhood,  were  laid  off  in  districts.  In  each  of  these  prayer- 
incetings  were  held  every  week,  and  Randolph  was  a  regular  and 
active  attendant.  By  the  example  of  his  daily  life,  no  less  than  by 
his  fervent  prayers,  he  preached  the  Gospel.  Committees  were  sent 
out  by  the  Association  to  hold  regular  services  at  destitute  places 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  irniversity.  One  of  these  visited  the  Poor- 
house,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  college,  and  read  the  Scrip- 
ture? to  the  poor,  with  brief  exhortations  and  prayers.  AYhen 
Eandolph  conducted  the  meeting,  he  prepared  himself  by  fervent 
prayer  and  careful  study.  His  public  prayers  Avere  earnest  and 
appropriate,  and  his  addresses  serious  and  impressive. 

In  Xovember,  1860,  two  military  companies  were  formed  and 
tendered  their  services  to  the  Governor.  Eandolph  was  a  member 
of  the  Southern  Guard.  These  companies,  with  the  volunteer  com- 
panies of  Charlottesville,  celebrated  Jefferson's  birthday  by  a  grand 
parade.  During  the  parade  news  came  of  the  attack  on  Fort  Sum- 
ter, whereupon  a  grand  salute  was  fired.  Two  days  afterwards 
these  companies  volunteered  to  accompany  the  Charlottesville  com- 
panies to  Harper's  Ferry.  Eandolph  was  very  anxious  to  go,  but 
he  was  restrained  by  a  letter  from  home,  telling  him  not  to  go  until 
he  Avas  ordered:  and  he  yielded,  as  he  had  ever  done,  his  wishes  to 
the  will  of  his  parents. 

It  Avas  AA-hile  a  student  at  this  institution  that  he  inscribed  in  his 
diarv  the  following  rules  for  spending  the  Sabl)ath: 

"■'].  Perform  niv  usual  devotions  and  read  the  chapter  for  the 
Bible  Class, 

''2.  After  Bible  Class  attend  church,  spend  the  time  till  dinner 
in  examination,  reading  and  prayer. 

After  dinner   read   till   prayer-meeting,   and   after  prayer- 


O. 


Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolpli  Fairfax.  9 

meeting  wnlk  with  a  Christian  companion,  and  endeavor  to  make 
the  conver:?ation  as  suitable  a^  possible  to  Sunday. 

"4.  After  supper  attend  church,  or  spend  the  time  in  reading, 
contemplation,  &c. 

"5.  Endeavor  at  all  times  to  remember  that  it  is  precious  time, 
and  to  guard  against  indolence." 

It  was  during  his  session  at  the  University  of  Virginia  tliat  iho 
State  of  Virginia  seceded  from  the  United  States,  and  most  of  the 
students  withdrew  and  volunteered  in  the  army,  liandolph  was 
anxious  to  follow  their  example,  but,  in  deference  to  the  wishes  and 
remonstrances  of  others,  he  was  induced  to  remain  until  the  end  of 
the  session. 


10  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax. 


CHAPTER  lY. 

Military  School  at  the  University — T/ie  Battle  of  Manassas — Randolph  Enlists  in 
the  Rockbridge  Artillery — Ilis  Letters  from  the  Army — His  Contentment  and 
Cheerfulness — Incidents  of  Camp  Life  in  Fairfax — Review  of  Stonewall 
Brigade — Sir  James  Fergusson — Ci'ossii^g  the  Mountains — Gen.  Johnston's 
Compliments  to  tJie  Brigade — Jackson's  Farewell,  etc. 

During  the  vacation,  the  Universit}"  was  converted  into  a  militar}'' 
school,  and  Randolph  passed  from  the  groves  of  the  academy  to  the 
campus  martins.  In  the  meantime  the  battle  of  ^Manassas  was 
fought,  and  then  the  University  became  a  hospital.  Randolph  as- 
sisted in  receiving  and  nursing  the  wounded  soldiers,  and  could  no 
longer  resist  the  call  to  the  field  of  battle.  He  repaired  to  Manassas 
Junction  and  enlisted,  as  a  private,  on  the  12th  of  August,  1861, 
'in  the  Rockbridge  Battery,  then  commanded  by  Captain  (now) 
General)  "\Vm  X.  Pendleton,  and  afterwards  by  Captains  (now 
Majors)  McLaughlin  and  Poague,  and  more  recently  by  Captain 
Graham.  For  our  knowledge  of  his  career  as  a  soldier  we  are  in- 
debted chiefly  to  the  familiar  letters  of  himself  and  his  messmates, 
from  the  camp-letters,  written  upon  scraps  of  paper  in  pencil,  and 
with  the  off-hand  freedom  of  a  family  correspondence.  Randolph's 
letters  contain  a  continuous  description  of  Jackson's  wonderful 
campaigns,  as  they  appeared  to  a  boy  of  18  years  of  age  in  the  ranks. 
This  is  a  point  of  view  from  which  we  do  not  often  look  at  the  evo- 
httions  of  armies.  This  fact,  by  itself,  invests  these  letters  with  in- 
terest. We  shall  reproduce  copious  extracts  from  them,  because  they 
add  something  to  the  materials  of  history,  and  are  fitted  to  do  good, 
by  their  moral  and  religious  tone,  their  glowing  patriotism,  and  the 
ppirit  of  contentment  and  cheerfulness  which  they  breathe  in  the 
midst  of  the  severest  trials  to  which  a  youth  so  gently  nurtured 
could  be  exposed.  His  letters,  too,  hastily  as  they  have  been  penned, 
are  characterized  by  a  vein  of  strong  common  sense  unusual  in  one 
so  young,  and  by  uncommon  sagacity  in  speculating  upon  the  proba- 
ble objects  of  movements  in  the  army ;  from  August  12  to  October, 
'61,  they  describe  his  first  impressions  of  ]\ranas5as  Junction,  which 
anv  one  who  visited  it  during  the  winter  and  fall  of  'G-i  woiild  recog- 
nize ;  his  walk  to  Centreville  in  a  drenching  rain  over  the  late  bat- 
tlefield, and  his  enlistment  in  the  Rockbridge  Battery;  enumerate 
his  messmates,  among  whom  are  Kinloch  Xelson,  Jim  Garnett,  L. 
S.  Macon,  L.  M.  Blackford  and  '"'other  nice  fellows'*;  his  visits  to 


Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax.  11 

his  old  friends  of  the  ITth  Virginia;  his  pleasure  at  hearing  tiie 
familiar  voiees  of  Bishop  John  Johns  and  the  Rev.  C.  Walker 
on  two  suceessive  Sundays;  his  exi)erien{'e  in  co(jking;  his  aniust'- 

inent  in  ^'seeing ,  witii  his  sleeves  rolled  up,  washing  dishes  and 

making  up  bread";  make  light  of  the  so-called  discomforts  of  camp 
life;  describe  a  review  of  the  Virginia  trooj)s  and  presentation  of 
Hags  by  (.governor  Letcher — a  review  of  the  Stonewall  Brigade  by 
(ienerals  Johnston.  Beauregard  and  Smith,  in  the  presence  of  two 
members  of  the  English  Parliament,  Sir  James  Fergusson  and  the 
Hon.  Mr.  Burke — the  concentration  of  troops  at  Centreville,  and 
the  construction  of  breastworks — the  marching  and  countermarch- 
ing to  Fairfax  Court  House  and  Centreville — the  pieketings  at  Ma- 
son's, Munsons's  and  Upton's  hills;  rejoice  in  the  open  air  and 
active  life,  and  express  the  opinion  that  with  a  little  precaution, 
suggested  by  common  sense,  a  soldier,  if  lie  has  a  good  constitution, 
ought  to  be  more  healthy  than  other  men.  Pie  represents  his  experi- 
ence of  camp-life  as  very  pleasant  so  far,  and  he  has  no  desire  to  be 
an  officer.  "My  situation  is  the  more  desirable  of  the  two.  I  have 
none  of  an  otP.cer's  cares  and  responsibilities;  I  have  as  agreeable 
companions  as  I  have  ever  had  at  school  or  college ;  have  as  many 
privileges  as  I  desire,  and  live  as  well  as  most  officers,  and  better 
than  many.  The  additional  honor  is  very  little  in  my  opinion,  as 
my  experience  has  shown  me  that  epaulets  are  not  always  criteria 
of  merit.  The  attraction  of  office  would  not  induce  me  to  give  up 
the  agreeable  society  and  companionship,  and  light  duty  of  my 
})resent  situation.''  He  then  bewails  "the  desolation  of  Fairfax, 
where  barren  fields,  dilapidated  honses  and  old  camp-grounds  tes- 
tify to  the  ravages  of  war*';  and  concludes  with  the  lamentation, 
**1  nm  afraid  poor  old  Alexandria  will  never  raise  her  head  again." 

The  summer  holidays,  and  drills,  and  dress-parades  were  now 
past,  and  he  was  called  to  look  at  the  more  serious  features  of  "grim- 
^  isaged  war.''  Jackson  had  been  assigned  to  the  command  of  the 
A^alley,  and  had  taken  leave  of  his  old  brigade  in  a  characteristic 
speech,  concluding  with  the  now  historical  passage,  "You  were  the 
first  brigade  in  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah,  the  first  in  the  army 
of  the  Potomac,  the  first  in  the  "^d  Corps,  and  the  first  in  the  affec- 
tions of  your  commander."  Jackson's  command  consisted  of  his 
old  brigade,  some  thousands  of  militia,  and  Ashby's  cavalry.  In  a 
letter  dated  the  12th  of  November,  Randolph  says: 

"Last  Friday  we  marched  from  (j  A.  M.  to  ^  P.  M.,  slopping  only 
to  water  the  horses — marching  25  miles,  of  which  I  walked  22; 


12  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax. 

flejjt  that  night  in  a  barn — next  day  crossed  the  Blue  Eidge  in  a 
drenching  rain.  Many  of  the  men  were  drinking  and  disorderly — 
reached  Berryville  that  evening,  and  were  quartered  in  the  Court 
House.  I  and  three  friends  were  hospitably  entertained  by  Dr. 
Kownslar.  and  actually  slept  in  feather-beds  without  taking  cold. 
We  started  the  next  day  (Sunday),  just  as  the  church  bells  were 
ringing,  and  marched  to  Winchester." 

November  24th  he  writes : — 

"Our  camp  is  prettily  situated  among  some  cedar  knolls  near 
Winchester,  and  is  occasionally  enlivened  by  the  presence  of  the 
ladie 


s. 


He  speaks  of  the  hospitalities  of  the  Williamses  and  the  Bartons, 
both  of  whom  had  sons  in  the  battery.     He  says : 

"I  can  hardly  realize  that  this  is  Sunday,  so  different  from  the 
Sundays  of  former  days.  How  little  did  I  think  last  year,  when  I 
Avas  enjoying  those  delightful  Sitndays  at  home,  that  I  should  ever 
spend  one  in  such  circumstances.  There  is  unfortunately,  too  much 
truth  in  the  saying,  'There  is  no  "Sunday  in  war.'  But  Sunday  here 
is  perfect  enjoyment  to  what  it  was  at  Centreville.  where  the  chief 
difference  between  it  and  other  days  seemed  to  be  absence  of  drills. 
Yesterday  was  my  nineteenth  birthday,  and  it  makes  me  quite  patri- 
archal to  think  of  it."' 


Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax.  13 


ellAPTKK  V. 

The  Wiu(er  Campaign  to  Bath  and  Hancock — His  Furlough — Visit  to  Richmond 
and  Return  to  Camji  at  Cedar  Creek — The  Battle  of  Kernstown — Retirement 
up  the  Wdley — The  Battle  of  McD(nrell — Dr.  Duhney'K  Sermon. 

»We  continiie  our  extracts  from  Randolph's  correspondoiu-e,  Janu- 
arv,  18(;->: 

•'Leavino:  Winchester  on  the  1st,  and  marching  about  thirty-two 
mik^s,  we  reached  Bath  on  the  4th,  and  driving  tlie  Yankees  out, 
followed  them  to  the  river.  That  night  and  most  of  the  following 
day  our  battery  was  engaged  in  firing  at  the  town  of  Hancock,  on 
the  other  side  of  the  Potomac,  and  at  the  Federal  batteries.  I  sup- 
pose our  movement  was  a  feint  to  cover  Gilham's  operations  towards 
Capon  Bridge.  During  this  trip  my  patriotism  was  put  to  a  severe 
test  by  marching  through  the  mountains  over  the  icy  roads  as 
smooth  as  glass,  bivouacking  at  night  in  the  snow,  and  rolling  the 
heavy  guns  up  the  slipi>ery  steejis  l)y  day.  On  the  day  we  left  the 
Potomac  we  marched  from  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  till  twelve 
at  night,  and  only  made  seven  or  eight  miles.  Even  then  we  did 
not  reach  our  wagons,  and  had  to  i<it  around  our  fires  one  of  the 
coldest  nights  I  ever  felt.  The  next  day  we  overtook  our  wagons 
aljout  sundown,  and  i)itched  into  a  good  supper  which  our  cook  had 
])rc'pared  for  us,  having  been  without  food,  save  a  morsel  by  the  way, 
for  thirty-six  hours.  Three  roads  meet  here,  leading  to  Komney, 
Winchester  and  Martinsburg,  either  of  which  we  mav  take." 


Jackson  took  the  road  to  Komney,  and  in  the  meantime  Randolph, 
being  determined  to  re-enlist,  got  his  first  furlough  and  visited  his 
family  in  Richmond.  When  he  returned  to  the  field  his  command 
was  encamped  at  Cedar  Creek,  about  two  miles  from  Strasburg, 
Jackson  having  evacuated  Winchester  and  retired  from  the  Valley. 

The  following  is  his  account  of  the  battle  of  Kernstown : 

''On  the  '22d  of  March,  much  to  our  suri)rise,  we  took  up  the  line 
of  march  towards  Winchester.  I  suppose  the  object  of  the  move 
was  to  keep  Banks'  force  in  the  Valley.  We  met  the  enemy  at 
Kernstown.  The  battle  began  about  two  o'clock  and  raged  fiercely 
until  niirht.  Our  force  was  not  more  than  3500  infantrv.  cavalrv 
and  artillery,  while  that  of  the  enemy  was  more  than  10.000.  On 
our  way  to  our  position  our  l)attery  had  to  cross  a  widf  oj)en  bottom 


14  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax. 

exposed  to  the  fire  of  tlie  Yankee  artillery.  Several  shells  exploded 
near  ns,  disabling  one  of  onr  guns.  Just  before  we  got  into  position 
a  shell  passed  through  one  of  the  wheel-horses  of  our  third  piece 
and  into  the  other,  where  it  exploded,  tearing  off  the  legs  of  the 
driver  and  the  foot  of  a  man  walking  by  the  gun.  It  was  a  horrible 
sight  to  see  the  mangled  horses  and  men  lying  helpless  on  the 
ground.  We  got  into  position  about  three  o'clock,  and  were  firing 
until  it  was  nearly  dark.  The  infantry  had  by  this  time  fallen  back 
nearly  to  our  position,  and  our  guns  were  turned  to  pour  canister 
into  the  Yankees  so  soon  as  they  should  appear  on  the  edge  of  the 
woods.  The  position  was  unluckily  a  bad  one,  as  they  were  able  to 
come  too  near  under  cover  of  the  woods.  Consequently  our  fire  was 
not  so  effective  as  it  otherwise  would  have  been,  although  we  learned 
afterwards  that  it  was  very  destructive.  The  Yankee  Captain,  Schri- 
ber,  says  in  his  report  that  'the  Rebels  advanced  their  heavy  bat- 
tery (that  was  ours),  which  threw  some  well-directed  shots  in  our 
(Yankee)  battery,  and  our  cavalry  and  infantry  on  the  slope  of  the 
hill,  soon  rendering  it  evident  that  the  Eebel  battery  would  have  to 
be  taken.' 

"This  explains  the  advance  of  the  Yankee  infantry  on  our  fiank. 
The  Yankee  Captain  further  says  that  'the  canister  from  our  bat- 
tery strewed  the  ground  with  dead  and  dying  and  broke  the  infantry 
that  was  charging  us.' 

"Our  drivers  being  raw  hands,  we  were  so  long  limbering  up  that 
two  of  our  men  were  wounded,  one  of  our  horses  struck  in  three 
places  and  his  mate  in  one.  In  this  state  we  drove  off  the  field  while 
the  minie  balls  were  flying  at  a  most  uncomfortable  rate,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  our  piece  into  a  little  hollow  in  the  woods,  where 
our  worst  wounded  horse  fell  dead.  Discovering  that  we  were  now 
between  the  lines,  our  Lieutenant  ordered  us  to  cut  the  traces  and 
make  the  best  time  in  getting  away,  which  we  did  in  Bull  Run  style. 
I  hated  mightily  to  lose  our  old  piece.  It  was  one  taken  at  Manas- 
sas, and  one  of  the  best  of  our  six-pounders.  It  is  some  consolation 
to  think  that  we  got  it  off  the  field,  and  only  left  it  when  our  horse 
was  killed  and  there  was  no  time  to  put  in  another.  I  have  great 
reason  to  be  thankful  to  God  for  my  preservation,  and  that  of  my 
friends.  My  only  trust  in  such  times  of  danger  is,  that  I  am  entirely 
in  God's  hand,  and  He  will  preserve  me  until  His  own  good  time. 
Our  piece  was  the  last  to  leave  the  field. 

"I  escaped  with  a  bullet-hole  through  the  skirt  of  my  coat.  Our 
men  acted  very  gallantly.  One  of  our  mess  received  a  letter  from 
his  father,  ]\Ir. of  Winchester,  saying  that  the  enemy's  loss, 


Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fdirft.r.  15 

as  estimated  by  a  person  wlio  visited  the  hospitals,  was  800  wounded 

and  SOU  killed  ;  while  our  killed,  whom  Mr. helped  to  l)urv, 

numbered  80,  and  our  wounded  in  the  enemy's  hands  92.  Our  total 
loss  in  killed  and  wounded  was  about  -I'^o.  I  am  told  that  the  battle 
of  Kernstown  is  considered  in  Kichmond  a  victory,  and  I  suppose 
it  was,  since  we  intlicted  a  heavier  loss  than  we  suti'ered,  and  gained 
our  object  in  keeping  their  large  army  occupied  by  our  small  one. 
Our  army  has  been  increased  in  numl)ers  since  the  battle,  by  re- 
cruits and  drafts  from  the  militia.  The  night  after  the  battle  we 
encamped  about  four  miles  from  the  field,  and  leisurely  liegan  our 
retreat  the  next  day  about  ten  o'clock,  eating  our  dinner  at  Cedar 
Creek,  and  then  marching  to  our  old  camp-ground,  about  two  miles 
above  Woodstock.  The  Yankees  are  at  Edinburg  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river,  and  our  guns  are  sent  down  every  few  days  and  have 
artillery  duels  with  them." 

Jackson  soon  resumed  his  retreat  up  the  Valley,  and  reaching 
Harrisonburg,  turned  towards  the  Blue  Hidge,  and  crossing  the 
Shenandoah,  took  his  position  in  Elk  Run  Valley,  near  Swift  Eun 
Gap.  Here  the  troops  were  exposed  for  several  days  to  heavy  rains 
without  tents.  On  the  16th  of  May,  Eandolph  writes  from  the  foot 
of  Shenandoah  Mountain,  whither  Jackson  had  gone  to  meet  Milroy 
advancing  from  towards  Monterey : 

"Since  my  last  letter,  we  have  been  constantly  moving.'  In  two 
weeks  we  have  been  in  the  counties  of  Rockingham,  Albemarle, 
Augusta,  Highland,  and  Pendleton,  crossing  the  Blue  Ridge  and 
Shenandoah  mountains  twice,  and  have  fought  a  battle  on  the  west- 
ern slope  of  Bull  I'asture  mountain,  at  McDowell.  From  the  nature 
of  the  ground  artillery  could  not  be  used  on  our  side.  While  the 
battle  was  proceeding  on  the  top  of  the  mountain,  we  were  in  camp 
on  this  side.  The  fight  began  just  before  sundown  and  lasted  until 
nine  o'clock.  Our  brigade  marched  up  the  mountain  just  before  the 
fight  commenced,  and  was  then  marched  back  about  five  miles  to 
camp  to  cook.  It  was  again  sent  for,  and  the  firing  ceased  just  as 
we  reached  the  top  of  the  mountain  the  second  time.  This  move- 
ment of  Jackson's  was  a  great  surprise  to  the  Yankees,  who  left 
behind  many  tents  and  stores,  and  destroyed  more.  There  are  so 
many  gorges  and  defiles  in  these  mountains  that  the  ]uirsuit  of  the 
enemy  must  be  slow  and  cautious,  or  our  victory  would  have  been 
more  fruitful.  I  think  it  probable  our  next  destination  will  be 
Harrisonburg,  where,  uniting  with  Ewell,  we  may,  by  God's  blessing, 
drive  the  Yankees  out  of  the  Vallev. 


16  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax. 

"I  was  much  pleased  with  a  sermon  preached  for  us  last  Monday 
by  Dr.  Dabney — the  day  set  apart  by  Gen.  Jackson  as  a  day  of  rest 
and  thanksgiving.  The  services  were  held  within  hearing  of  the 
enemy's  guns  and  were  imjjressive.  Dr.  Dal)ney"s  view  of  the  war 
was  that  it  was  a  visitation  of  God  upon  us  for  our  sins,  and  that  it 
AAoulcl  not  cease  until  the  purpose  of  God  was  accomplished — that 
is,  until  our  people  repent  and  turn  to  God;  or  else  it  may  cease  for 
awhile,  and  when  our  cup  of  iniquity  is  full,  more  terrible  punish- 
ments may  come  upon  us.  He  also  said,  that  God  sometimes  uses 
a  more  wicked  instrument  to  punish  a  more  innocent  one,  but  that 
ihe  punishment  of  tlie  more  wicked  instrument  would  surely  fall 
sooner  or  later,  with  terrible  vengeance.  He  spoke  of  the  Babylon 
of  the  Xorth,  and  predicted  its  downfall  and  destruction.  His  view 
is.  that  nations,  as  they  cannot  be  punished  in  the  next  world,  are 
punished  in  this  for  national  sins — a  view  I  think  entirely  coincid- 
ing with  the  Bible.  I  think  the  fate  of  the  country  is  now  in  the 
hands  of  the  praying  people,  and  though  I  cannot  see  how  or  when, 
I  believe  God  will  certainly  answer  the  prayers  of  His  faithful  peo- 
ple in  the  land.  I  l)elieve  I  have  not  told  you  of  the  new  discipline 
of  our  army.  We  have  come  to  be  veterans — have  no  tents,  carry 
our  knapsack  and  blankets,  never  ride  on  caissons,  obey  orders 
iiiiplicitly  without  inquiring  the  why  or  wherefore,  and,  in  case  of 
necessity,  can  live  on  half  rations  and  not  think  it  anything  remark- 
able. When  expecting  a  fight  our  rations  are  six  hard  crackers  and 
a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  pork  a  day."" 


Sketch  of  the  Life  of  liamhlph  Fairfax.  17 


CHAPTER  Vr. 

Battle  of  Front  Royal  and  Winchfsler — Purfinit  of  the  Yankees  to  the  Potomac — 
Pri toners  and  Spoils —  Yankee  BreaalpUites — Fremont  and  Shvlds. 

Randolph's  anticipations  were  realized:  Jackson  went  in  pursuit 
of  the  Yankees  in  the  Valley.  In  his  ne.Vt  letter,  dated  27th  May, 
1862.  our  vounir  friend  savs: 

"Last  Friday  we  made  a  forced  march  from  Luray  to  Front  Royal, 
a  distance  of  twenty-seven  miles:  surprised  the  Yankees  stationed 
there  (two  regiments  with  cavalry  and  artillery),  took  the  town, 
with  a  laru^e  amount  of  ([uartermaster  and  commissary  stores,  and 
about  7U(»  prisoners  and  two  pieces  of  artillery.  And  all  this  with 
the  loss  of  only  two  or  three  killed  and  wounded.  The  Yankees  left 
in  such  a  hurry  that  they  did  not  have  time  to  burn  two  fine  bridges 
which  they  had  just  t)uilt  across  the  two  branches  of  the  river  at 
that  point.  By  a  strange  coincidence  one  of  the  Yankee  regiments 
was  the  1st  Maryland,  who  came  into  contact  with  our  1st  Mary- 
land, who  completely  routed  the  Yankees,  chasing  them  through  the 
town,  and  taking  their  camp  and  colors  and  a  good  many  prisoners. 
Xearly  all  the  remainder  of  the  regiment,  with  their  Colonel,  Lieut. 
Colonel,  Major,  and  many  Captains  were  brought  in  that  night  by 
the  cavalry.  The  next  day  we  marched  on  towards  Winchester,  and 
then  struck  off  to  the  Ic^ft  to  get  into  the  Valley  turnpike  at  ^fiddle- 
town  and  cut  off  the  Yankee  forces  at  Strasburg.  We  captured  at 
Strasburg  many  ])risoners,  and  a  large  amount  of  medical  and  other 
stores,  and  I  have  heard  a  battery  of  six  guns,  that  was  escaping  by 
a  by-road  to  ^roorfield. 

•'This  last  I  am  not  ([uite  certain  about.  Our  cavalry  also  cap- 
tured almost  the  whole  liaggage  train  of  the  Yankees,  consisting  of 
hundreds  of  wagons.  Pushing  on  all  that  day  and  night  without 
the  least  rest,  driving  the  Yankees  before  us,  we  reached  Winches- 
ter a  little  before  daybreak.  Here  the  Yankees  made  a  stand,  and 
while  we  attacked  them  in  front,  Ewell's  division  attacked  their 
left  fiank,  on  another  road.  The  battle  began  at  rarly  dawn  and 
lasted  about  two  hours  and  a  half,  when  by  a  general  charge  our 
men  drove  the  Yankees  from  their  ])osition,  complt'tely  routing 
them  and  chasing  them  at  a  doul)le-(pii(k  through  Winchester.  Such 
a  rout  has  not  been  since  Manassas:  arms,  knapsacks,  l)lankets,  and 
all  sorts  of  accoutrements  were  strewn  along  the  route  of  tiieir  flight. 


18  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax. 

We  pressed  them  for  five  miles  be3'oud  Windiest er,  but  the  broken- 
down  condition  of  our  troops  compelled  the  infantry  to  stop.  The 
cavalry  continued  the  pursuit.  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  form  an 
estimate  of  our  captures.  I  know  that  our  loss  is  small,  and  the 
number  of  our  prisoners  must  be  near  3,000 ;  the  amount  of  stores, 
ammunition,  &c.,  is  very  large.  We  were  exposed  to  a  hot  fire  from 
some  sharpshooters  behind  a  stone  wall,  as  well  as  a  heavy  artillery 
fire.  Poor  Bob  McKim  and  another  were  killed,  and  we  have  six- 
teen wounded.  It  is  only  through  the  blessing  of  God  that  none  of 
US  were  hurt.  Our  passage  through  Winchester  was  perfectly  glori- 
ous. The  pavements  were  crowded  with  women,  children  and  old 
men,  waving  their  handkerchiefs,  weeping  for  joy  and  shouting  as 
we  passed  at  double-quick.  Our  troops  were  loaded  with  Yankee 
plunder,  and  rigged  out  in  Yankee  clothes  to  such  an  extent  that 
an  order  forbidding  it  was  issued,  lest  it  might  lead  to  firing  on  our 
own  men.  Most  of  our  spoils  fell  to  those  who  lagged  behind,  as 
those  in  front  had  no  time  to  stop.  Among  other  things  captured 
was  a  wagon  load  of  lemons  and  one  of  cake.  The  lemons  were  re- 
served for  the  sick,  but  the  cakes  were  disposed  of  in  short  order. 
Among  the  spoils  I  have  seen  two  Yankee  breast-plates  that  so  much 
has  been  said  about.  They  were  of  different  patterns :  one  a  siinple 
steel  plate,  and  the  other  had  points  and  came  down  over  the  hips. 
Unfortunately  for  the  owners  they  had  no  jDlates  behind,  where  they 
were  most  needed.  We  are  now  resting.  Yesterday  was  observed 
as  a  day  of  thanksgiving.  It  is  impossible  to  tell  when  or  where  will 
be  our  next  move." 

On  the  very  next  day  after  this  letter  was  written,  the  old  brigade, 
with  Carpenter's  and  McLaughlin's  (the  Eockbridge)  batteries, 
moved  towards  Charlestown.  While  our  forces  were  finishing  up 
their  work  on  the  Potomac,  intelligence  was  received  that  Shields 
was  moving  from  Fredericksburg,  and  Fremont  from  the  west,  with 
a  view  of  concentrating  in  Jackson's  rear  and  cutting  him  off  with 
his  prisoners  and  spoils.  Accordingly  our  army  began  to  fall  back 
up  the  Valley  on  the  30th  of  May.  Ewell  had  been  sent  to  hold 
Fremont  in  check  at  Strasburg,  and  the  retreat  continued  to  Harri- 
sonburg, with  a  caravan  of  prisoners  and  booty  in  front,  and  the 
•^.•agle-eyed  Ashby  guarding  the  rear. 


Sketch  of  (he  Life  of  Randolnh  Fairfax.  19 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Tlie  BaltUa  of  Crosi<  ICei/n  and  Port  Rrpnhlic — iMi/  of  ThaiikKgniuy — Dr. 
Dabney's  Sermon — The  Holy  Communioti. 

TJie  stirrinir  events  immediately  succeeding,  we  will  allow  our 
young  soldier  to  tell  in  his  own  words : 

"Camp  near  Port  Rkitblic, 

"Juno  14th,  18f)2. 

"Dear  ^Majfa  : — I  have  already  told  you  how  completely  we  were 
surprised  last  Sunday.  We  were  all  lying  quietly  in  camp,  expect- 
ing to  have  a  day  of  peace  and  rest,  when  we  were  startled  by  the 
sound  of  cannon  in  our  front.  A  scene  of  the  utmost  confusion 
ensued.  The  wagons  were  packed,  and  our  pieces  hurried  forward 
PS  fast  as  the  horses  could  be  hitched.  We  took  position  on  a  com- 
manding hill,  opposite  Port  Republic,  from  whieli  we  could  see  the 
Federal  columns  coming  up  the  road  on  the  other  side  within  easy 
cannon  range.  After  a  brisk  cannonade,  we  drove  them  back  in  con- 
fusion. Our  position  was  such  that  they  could  not  bring  their  can- 
non to  bear  upon  us,  so  that  all  the  firing  was  on  our  side — a  kind 
of  fighting  which  we  all  agreed  was  decidedly  the  most  pleasant  we 
had  ever  tried.  This  was  the  advance  of  Shields'  army,  consisting 
of  three  or  four  regiments  which  had  pushed  on  rapidly.  It  is  said 
that  Gen.  Jackson,  whose  headquarters  were  at  the  Port,  was  in- 
formed of  their  appearance  only  a  few  minutes  before  they  had 
actually  posted  their  guns  around  the  town,  and  he  narrowly  escaped 
being  taken  prisoner.  The  General  had  just  crossed  the  bridge, 
when  he  saw  a  Yankee  gun  come  down  the  road  on  the  opposite  side 
and  take  position  so  as  to  command  the  entrance  to  the  bridge.  Tak- 
ing it  for  one  of  our  guns,  he  called  out,  'Limber  uji  and  come  over, 
or  the  enemy  will  get  you.'  The  Yankees  looked  sur|)rised,  and  then 
turning  their  gun  upon  the  General,  informed  him  of  their  true 
character  by  firing  a  shot  at  him.  One  of  our  pieces  happening  to 
arrive  at  the  time,  and  putting  in  two  well-directed  shots,  compelled 
the  Yankees  to  abandon  their  piece,  which  was  afterwards  secureil 
by  us.  Soon  after  this  little  atfair  we  heard  cannonading  to  our 
rear,  which  was  the  opening  of  the  battle  between  Fremont  and 
Ewell's  divi.sion,  our  rear-guard.  The  battle  raged  all  day,  and  we 
anxiously  listened  to  oxery  shot  to  tell  by  the  sound  which  side  was 
gaining  ground.    The  suspense  was  awful,  for  we  knew  if  our  forces 


20  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax. 

Avere  driven  back  our  retreating  army  would  be  assailed  by  the  force 
in  our  rear,  and  probably  be  cut  to  pieces.  Towards  evening,  to  our 
great  Joy,  we  could  hear  the  report  growing  more  and  more  distant, 
and  we  soon  knew  that  the  enemy  had  been  repulsed.  I  understand 
that  our  centre  was  posted  upon  a  strong  hill,  which  the  enemy  at- 
tacked in  front.  They  led  regiment  after  regiment  to  the  charge, 
and  were  as  often  driven  back  by  murderous  volleys.  Only  a  part 
of  our  force  was  engaged  in  this  fight ;  our  brigade  and  General 
Taliaferro's  were  kept  to  guard  the  bridge,  and  some  others  were 
held  in  reserve.  That  night  we  were  Ijrought  over  to  the  east  side 
of  the  river  to  camp,  fully  expecting  to  return  and  attack  Fremont 
with  our  whole  force  in  the  morning.  But.  to  our  surprise,  we  were 
led  against  the  enemv  on  that  side.  Avhile  the  remainder  of  our 
forces,  who  had  held  their  position  during  the  night,  were  drawn 
back  to  our  support,  and  the  bridge  burned  to  keep  the  enemy  from 
following. 

Some  blame  Jackson  for  not  attacking  Fremont  instead  of 
Shields.  But  I  think  he  pursued  the  wiser  course.  If  we  had  at- 
tacked Fremont  and  been  defeated,  there  was  no  safe  way  of  retreat ; 
and  no  General  should  go  into  battle  without  providing  a  way  of 
retreat  in  ease  of  defeat.  In  the  Monday's  fight  with  Shields,  we 
had  about  five  or  six  thousand.  The  enemy's  force  was  about  eight 
thousand.  The  battle  began  soon  after  daylight,  and  after  a  long 
cannonade,  chiefly  by  the  enemy :  during  which  time  our  right  wing 
moved  around  through  the  woods  so  as  to  flank  the  Yankee  position. 
Our  left  wing,  consisting  of  oiir  battery  and  some  pieces  from  other 
batteries,  with  several  regiments  of  infantr\-,  advanced  to  the  attack. 
"We  were  met  by  almost  the  whole  force  of  the  enemy,  and,  after  a 
hard  struggle,  we  were  compelled  to  fall  back.  It  seems  that  our 
advance  was  made  too  soon,  so  that  instead  of  having  our  right 
wing  operating  in  conjunction  with  us,  the  enemy  were  able  to  meet 
us  with  an  overpowering  force,  and  drive  us  back  before  our  right 
was  ready  to  attack.  Our  battery  was  posted  in  an  open  wheat  field, 
exposed  to  fire  from  infantry  and  artillery.  We  could  see  and  hear 
the  balls  cutting  through  the  wheat  on  every  side :  but.  strange  to 
say,  we  escaped  with  but  few  casualties.  Xothing  but  the  mercy  of 
God  kept  us  from  suffering  severely.  As  we  drove  otf  the  field  I 
thought  the  day  was  lost :  but  soon  we  heard  the  firing  on  our  right, 
and  our  wing  returned  as  soon  as  the  regiments  could  rally.  The 
complete  rout  of  the  enemy  soon  followed,  and  five  splendid  guns 
and  five  hundred  prisoners  were  taken.  And  all  this  was  done  in 
sight  of  Fremont's  army,  which  just  then  appeared  on  the  heights 


Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax.  '21 

on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river:  l)Ut  too  hue,  as  there  was  an  un- 
fordahle  river  between  us.  Our  army  was  drawn  hark  to  Brown's 
(iap  by  an  old  mountain  road,  tlie  knowU'd^^e  of  whieli  was  tlie  key  to 
our  whole  sueeess.  For  iiad  we  l)ei'n  foreed  back  Ijy  the  same  road  we 
came,  we  would  have  been  shelled  to  j)ieees  by  the  Yankee  ^nins  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  just  as  we  had  shelled  them  on  this 
day.  Our  cavalry  followed  the  enemy  for  ten  or  twelve  miles  and 
eame  up  with  the  ba<rgaij:e  train;  all  of  which  would  have  been  cap- 
tured, some  think,  if  poor  lamented  Ashl)y  had  been  there  to  lead 
them.  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  definitely.  Init  1  think  our 
loss  could  not  have  exceeded  o»m(  wounded,  though  I  see  a  newspaper 
exaggerates  it  to  500  killed  and  1,000  wounded.  I  think  that  papers 
that  print  every  idle  report  they  hear  are  the  curse  of  our  country. 
Fremont  has  fallen  back  to  Xew  ^larket.  and  we  are  resting.  Yes- 
terday, June  14th,  by  special  order,  services  were  held  in  the  regi- 
ment, giving  thanks  for  our  victories  and  prayers  for  further  bles- 
sings. I  heard  a  delightful  sermon  from  Dr.  Dal)ney  yesterday 
evening,  and  another  this  morning.  This  evening  the  sacrament 
of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  to  be  administered,  and  I  hope  I  may  l)e  able 
to  attend.  It  is  such  a  comfort  and  a  great  cause  for  thanksgiving 
to  have  such  a  Christian  as  Jackson  for  our  General.  I  have  known 
him.  when  obliged  to  fight  or  march  on  Sunday,  to  set  apart  another 
day  for  rest  and  divine  service.  And  when  other  Generals  would 
liave  continued  marching,  I  have  known  him  to  lie  by  and  rest  on 
Sunday.  Xo  wonder  the  blessing  of  God  attends  his  army  in  such  a 
signal  way.  I  thank  God  for  the  glorious  success,  as  He  alone  can 
be  considered  the  author  of  it.  I  also  thank  Him  sincerely  for  mv 
preservation  during  the  fight." 


22  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Jackson's  On  to  Richmond  ! — Hi^  Flank  Movement  on  McClellan  at  the  Battle  of 
Malvern  Hill- — Randolph  Stnick  hy  a  Fragment  of  Shell — His  Return  to 
Gordonsvillc — Battle  of  Cedar  Run  or  Slaughter's  Mountain — Retreat — For- 
ward. Movement — Shelling  at  Rappahannock — Flank  Movement  on  Pope — 
Battle  at  Manassas — Advance  into  Maryland. —  Capture  of  Harper's  Ferry — 
Provost  Guard  at  Martinsburg. 

Jackson  now  flew  swooping  down  from  the  mountains  like  an 
eagle  npon  McClellan's  rear  on  the  Chickahominy,  and  in  co-opera- 
tion with  Lee,  won  the  series  of  brilliant  victories  around  Eichmond 
which  have  made  the  names  of  Coal  Harbor,  Gaines'  Mill,  and  Mal- 
vern Hill  historical.  The  battery  to  which  our  young  friend  be- 
longed was  held  in  reserve  until  the  bloody  fight  at  Malvern  Hill. 
He  writes : 

"For  an  hour  we  were  exposed  to  the  heaviest  artillery  fire  I  ever 
saw.  Shot  and  shell  seemed  to  pour  over  in  one  successive  stream 
and  burst  in  onr  midst.  We  lost  two  killed  and  ten  or  twelve 
wounded  in  our  company.  I  was  struck  by  a  piece  of  a  shell  on  the 
collar-bone,  but  fortunately  received  from  it  only  a  bruise,  which  put 
me  on  the  disabled  list  yesterday.  It  was  only  through  God's  mercy 
tliat  our  loss  was  not  greater.  jSTumbers  were  struck  by  fragments 
of  spent  shells,- which  did  no  serious  injury.  The  poor  17th,  of  Alex- 
andria, I  hear  sufl'ered  severely.  Hector  Eaches,  Charlie  Whiting 
and  Colonel  ]\Iarye  were  taken  prisoners.  We  drove  the  enemy  step 
by  step,  capturing  many  prisoners  and  much  artillery.  I  pray  that 
God  will  continue  to  prosper  our  armies  until  our  enemies  are 
entirely  overthrown.  Don't  trouble  yourself  about  my  promotion. 
I  am  content  where  I  am,  and  perhaps  it  is  best  for  me  to  remain 
where  I  am.  I  would  not  feel  right  in  accepting  a  position  that 
\\'ould  take  me  out  of  active  service.  God  again  in  His  mercy  has 
p'j-eserved  me,  and  none  of  my  friends  were  severely  hnrt ;  for  which, 
and  His  other  mercies,  I  owe  Him  a  life  of  gratitude,  and  pray  for 
grace  to  lead  it." 

After  three  days'  leave  of  absence,  which  he  spent  witli  his  family 
in  Richmond,  Randolph  joined  liis  battery  at  Gordonsville,  and 
writes  on  the  7th  of  August : 

"Judging  from  appearances,  l)oth  sides  are  gathering  their  forces 


Sketch  of  tlic  Life  of  Raiidolj>h  Fairfax.  23 

for  a  decisive  strug^fle.    1  have  no  doubt  of  the  result,  if  the  Yankees 
will  only  fight  us." 

His  next  letters  of  the  1  1th  and  13tli  of  August  give  an  account 
o/  Jackson's  advance  into  Culpeper,  and  the  battle  of  Slaughter's 
Mountain,    lie  says: 

"Three  pieces  of  our  battery  were  under  a  very  hot  fire,  but  it 
sustained  no  injury.  General  Winder,  our  Brigadier,  was  standing 
by  one  of  our  guns  when  he  was  struck.  His  death  is  a  great  loss 
to  us.  as  he  was  one  of  our  first  otliuers.  Major  Andrews,  chief  of 
artillery  of  our  division,  was  severely  wounded  and  tell  into  the 
enemy's  hands.  Our  brigade  fought  splendidly,  and  was  compli- 
mented by  General  Jackson,  who  said  they  had  always  done  well, 
but  this  time  gloriously.  A  ])anic  is  said  to  have  seized  some  of  the 
troops,  which  ex]iosed  the  Hank  of  some  regiments,  and  led  to  disor- 
dcj'  and  loss.  Our  victory  was  comi)lete.  The  enemy  asked  for  a 
flag  of  truce  to  bury  their  dead.  The  force  engaged  on  our  side  was 
tlie  1st,  2d  and  3d  brigades,  one  Brigade  of  E well's  and  several  of 
II ill's,  which  came  up  during  the  fight.  We  were  surprised  at  our 
fall  back  to  Gordonsville  after  our  victory.  But  Jacksou  has  some 
plan  in  his  head.  After  again  leaving  Gordonsville  to  advance  on 
I'ope.  we  met  with  no  obstacle  until  we  reached  the  river.  The  long 
siege  guns  of  our  l)attery  were  engaged  in  an  artillery  duel  with  the 
Yankee  batteries  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  After  several  days' 
skirmishing  and  unintelligible  manoeuvres  we  crossed  the  river  at 
another  ford  without  any  opposition.  We  then  marched  day  and 
night,  reaching  ^lanassas  Junction  on  the  30th,  day  taking  the 
"Yankees  Ijy  surprise.  It  is  wonderful  how  successful  Jackson  is  in. 
his  movements.  We  effected  a  march  along  the  entire  flank  of  the 
enemy  and  reached  his  rear  without  his  knowledge.  Just  after 
reaching  Manassas  we  saw  a  Itrigade  of  Yankees  sent  from  xVlexan- 
dria  to  check  the  supjwsed  cavalry  raid,  filing  down  the  opposite 
hills.  They  advanced  in  beautiful  line  of  battle  up  into  a  semi- 
circle formed  l)y  our  infantry  and  artillery  concealed  in  the  valley, 
until  our  artillery  opening  upon  their  flank  and  rear,  they  discov- 
ered their  mistake  and  retired  precipitately.  If  T  may  ])resume  to 
criticise,  it  seems  to  me  that  if  we  had  suffered  them  to  advance 
further  and  then  cloj^ed  uj)on  them  with  our  infantry,  we  should 
have  captured  the  whole  lot;  but  as  it  was,  we  took  many  hundred 
prisoners.  At  Manassas  Junction  a  large  amount  of  stores  were 
taken  and  destroyed.  That  night  we  marched  by  the  liglit  of  the 
burning  depot  and  cars  in  the  direction  of  Sudley  Church.    We  had 

3 


24  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  BdiidoJph  Fairfax. 

now  been  marching  three  days  and  three  nights,  with  only  about 
four  hours'  sleep  during  our  march.  Xothing  but  exhilaration  at 
our  unwonted  success  kept  us  up.  Here  we  were  at  Sudley  Church, 
with  about  20,000  men,  with  Pope  in  our  front,  and  a  large  force 
advancinor  from  i\.lexandria  on  our  rear.  Well  might  the  Yankees 
think  they  had  us  in  a  trap !  But  we  privates,  with  entire  confi- 
dence in  our  Generals,  were  in  blissful  ignorance  of  our  danger.  For 
two  days,  b}^  manoeuvring  and  fighting  we  kept  them  back,  until 
about  the  middle  of  the  second  day  we  saw  the  long-expected  Long- 
street  advancing  on  our  right.  At  one  time  we  were  completely  cut 
ofl:,  and  four  successive  couriers  from  Longstreet  to  Jackson  were 
captured,  but  the  fifth  got  through  with  the  glad  tidings  of  his 
approach,  and  Jackson  is  said  to  have  grasped  his  hand  in  joy  at  his 
coming.  The  next  day  (Saturday)  about  three  or  four  o'clock  the 
eneni)^  attacked  us,  and  were  driven  back  at  every  point.  We  had  a 
splendid  view  of  the  battle  from  a  hill  on  which  our  battery  was 
posted.  It  was  the  grandest  sight  that  I  ever  saw.  Artillery  was 
blazing  from  every  rise  in  the  valley  below,  shells  bursting  in  every 
direction — batteries  and  horsemen  galloping  over  the  field  in  pur- 
suit ;  while  away  off  on  our  right  we  could  see  the  long  line  of  Yan- 
kee infantry  drawn  up  to  oppose  Longstreet,  and  sheets  of  smoke 
bursting  from  their  guns.  Soon  a  cloud  of  smoke  enveloped  the 
plain,  and  we  could  only  hear  the  successive  roar  of  artillery  and 
rattling  of  the  musketry,  gradually  becoming  more  and  more  dis- 
tant. I  don't  think  I  ever  saw  such  a  disproportion  in  losses — ours 
being  comparatively  light,  theirs  very  heavy." 

The  Eockbridge  Battery  accompanied  Jackson  on  the  march  to 
Maryland  from  Manassas,  and  on  his  return  to  Martinsburg  to  clear 
out  the  Yankees  in  our  rear,  and  which  resulted  in  the  capture  of 
Harper's  Ferry,  with  valuable  stores  and  munitions,  and  11,000 
prisoners.  Tlie  gun  to  Avhich  Eandolph  belonged,  with  two  regi- 
ments of  infantry,  was  left  in  ^Martinsburg  as  Provost  Guard,  and 
was  sent  while  there  to  destroy  a  bridge  near  North  Mountain  Sta- 
tion. Finding  the  Yankees  in  too  great  force  for  them,  they  only 
tore  up  the  railroad  track  and  returned  to  Martinsburg.  In  a  letter 
from  that  place,  dated  September  14th,  he  says : 

"The  prospect  of  a  little  rest  here  is  truly  delightful.  We  have 
now,''  he  adds,  "been  more  than  a  month  without  a  change  of 
clothes ;  either  marching  or  fighting  nearly  every  day,  and  sleeping 
without  shelter.  We  have  been  reduced  to  a  degree  of  raggedness 
and  dirt  that  is  scarcelv  tolerable,  and  the  worst  of  it  is  we  have  no 


Sketch  of  (he  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax.  25 

chance  of  getting  our  baggage,  which  was  left  at  the  Rappahan- 
nock." 

In  the  same  letter  he  speaks  of  the  good  conduct  of  our  troops  in 
Maryland — the  strictest  discipline  having  been  maintained.  In 
reference  to  the  sentiments  of  the  Marylanders,  he  says: 

''There  are  numbers  of  the  people  who  would  receive  us  gladly 
and  avow  their  sympathies  for  the  South,  were  they  assured  that  we 
would  keep  possession  of  the  State." 


26  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax. 


CHAPTEE  IX. 

t 

Battle  of  Shnrpshurg — Straggling — Battery  Transferred  to  Col.  J.  T.  Broivn's 
Regiment  of  Reserve  A  rtillery — March  to  Port  Royal — Battle  of  Fredericks- 
burg— His  Last  Letter — His  Death — Lieitt.-Col.  Louis  Coleman — Lieutenant 
McCorkle— Berkeley  Minor— E.  Hyde—T.  McCorkle. 

On  the  3d  of  October,  1862,  he  writes  from  camp  near  Bunker 
Hill : 

"The  army  is  now  resting  and  being  reorganized.  It  is  nnfortu- 
uatr-  that  we  could  not  have  continued  active  operations:  but  it  is 
impossible.  The  men  are  ragged  and  barefooted,  and  the  ranks  so 
reduced  by  straggling  that  we  could  only  bring  half  our  force  into 
the  field.  It  is  shameful.  There  was  not  half  of  our  army  engaged 
in  the  battle  of  Sharpsburg.  The  scoundrels  were  straggling  over  the 
coantry  and  eating  out  the  hospitable  farmers  on  their  way,  while 
their  comrades  were  beatiug  back  ^IcClellan.  I  don't  think  we  could 
have  had  more  than  40,000  men  engaged  at  Sharpsburg,  and  yet  we 
repulsed  the  enemy.  But  as  the  more  we  drove  them  back  the  better 
their  position  became  on  the  slopes  of  the  mountains,  it  was  clearly 
our  policy  to  fall  back."" 

On  the  -^Oth  and  2$d  of  October,  1S62,  Eandolph  says : 

"We  have  been  transferred  to  the  regiment  of  Col.  Thompson 
Brown,  which  constitutes  the  Eeserve  Artillery  of  Jackson's  Corps. 
We  have  thus  dissolved  partnership  with  the  old  First  Brigade,  and 
we  are  all  sorr\'  to  part  with  old  friends,  and  dissolve  a  connection 
which  has  existed  from  the  beginning  of  the  war.  We  have  now  two 
splendid  twenty-pound  Parrots.  Such  heavy  guns  are  generally 
held  in  reserve.  We  think  that  our  General  intended  the  change  to 
relieve  us  from  the  active  service  in  which  we  have  always  been 
engaged. 

"Gen.  Jackson  paid  us  a  high  compliment  at  dinner  at  'Sir.  Dan- 
dridge's,  and  said  we  deserved  to  have  a  rest.  The  monotony  of  our 
present  camp  life  is  relieved  by  drills,  guard  duty  and  cooking,  and 
now  and  then  diversified  by  a  corn  detail,  when  we  have  to  go  ten 
or  fifteen  miles  and  shuck  out  a  wagon-load  of  corn.  I  happened  to 
be  on  a  corn  detail  during  the  late  snow-storm,  and  we  had  a  terrible 
time  of  it  working  in  the  cold  driving  snow  without  gloves." 


Sketch  of  the  Life  •-*'  Ivmilolph  Fairfax.  -11 

After  a  iiiaroh  of  fifteen  days,  the  Kockbridge  Artillery  encamped 
luar  Port  Koyal,  on  the  Happahannock  river. 

"The  weather  n<nv."  Dee.  7th,  he  says',  ''is  intensely  cold,  and  I 
am  afraid  many  of  our  poor  soldiers  are  sufferin<j."  "Oh,  how  I 
wish,"  lie  adds,  "that  this  cniel  war  woidd  cease  I  I  think  when 
peace  is  declared  I  shall  he  like  a  man  just  released  from  j)rison,  or 
a  condemned  criminal  just  receivin<f  his  pardon.  ^lay  CJod  bless 
you  and  keep  you  all." 

His  last  letter,  which  was  found  in  his  pocket  after  his  fall,  was 
written  to  his  mother  on  the  11th  of  December,  the  day  after  the 
battle  of  Fredericksburg  opened : 

"Remembering  your  injunction  to  write  immediately  after  every 
battle,  I  hasten  to  obey  it,  and  relieve  you  of  any  anxiety  on  my 
account  that  may  have  been  awakened  by  the  engagement  of  yester- 
day at  Fredericksburg.  We  were  on  picket  near  Port  Eoyal,  and, 
although  eighteen  miles  distant,  distinctly  heard  the  cannonade; 
it  was  the  most  continuous  and  rapid  I  ever  heard,  lasting  from  four 
o'clock  until  sunset.  I  think  the  enemy  must  have  been  repulsed 
once  or  twice,  but  at  last  succeeded  in  crossing  the  river,  and  now 
have  possession  of  Fredericksburg.  They  are,  however,  no  better 
ofl;  than  they  were  before.  We  have  heard  firing  again  this  morning, 
uj)  the  river,  but  don't  know  what  it  is. 

"The  day  l>efore  yesterday  we  had  an  affray  with  the  gunboats 
on  the  river  below.  Our  batten'  was  sent  down,  with  the  long- 
range  guns.  We  only  succeeded  in  getting  five  or  six  shots  at  a  boat 
j)assing  up ;  but  our  26-pounder,  with  a  Whitlock  gun,  had  a  sharp 
duel  with  five  gunboats  above.  The  engagement,  I  believe,  was 
harmless  on  both  sides." 

This  was  the  last  letter  Kandolph  Fairfax  ever  wrote.  On  the 
very  next  day,  as  the  sun  went  down,  amid  a  storm  of  roaring  guns 
and  shrieking  shells,  he  fell  by  the  side  of  the  gun  he  had  .served  so 
uell.  and 

"  Doath  lay  upon  liini  like  an  untimely  frn.st 
Upon  the  fairest  Hnwer  of  all  tin-  tit'iil." 

Berkeley  Minor,  one  of  Rand<>li)h"s  most  intimnto  friend-,  in  ref- 
erence to  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  says : 

"The  company  never  behaved  better  than  on  this  occasion.  I 
speak  of  my  own  personal  knowledge  of  the  second  section,  that  is 


28  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Handoljyh  Fairfax. 

tlie  two  twenty-poimd  Parrots,  witli  one  of  which  Randolph  and  I 
worked,  as  the  first  was  placed  in  a  different  part  of  the  field  by 
Major  Pelham.  Lieut.  Graham  had  command  of  that  section,  and 
was  highly  complimented  by  Major  Pelham.  Our  section  was  under 
the  most  tremendous  fire  that  any  of  the  company  had  ever  wit- 
nessed. We  were  in  position  about  two  hours  only,  but  were  under 
fire  long  before  we  got  into  position.  The  fire  was  most  terrible 
about  sundown.  Then  it  was  that  our  dear  friend  fell.  We  had 
ceased  firing  for  a  while,  when  General  Jackson  rode  up  and  ordered 
all  the  guns  to  be  shotted  and  fired  simultaneously,  and  continue 
firing  as  fast  as  possible.  This,  it  appears,  drew  the  fire  of  almost 
all  the  enemy's  guns  in  range  upon  us.  Such  a  shower  of  shot  and 
shell  I  never  saw  before  and  hope  never  to  see  again.  This  lasted 
until  daylight  was  gone.    After  dark  we  brought  off  our  guns." 

E.  Hyde  says : 

"The  piece  of  shell  which  was  the  cause  of  Randolph's  death 
entered  the  corner  of  the  left  eye,  killing  him  instantly." 

T.  MeCorkle,  who  was  at  the  same  gun  with  Randolph,  says : 

"That  same  shell,  of  which  a  fragment  struck  Randolph,  badly 
wounded  Lieut.-Colonel  Coleman  and  Arthur  Robinson,  of  Balti- 
more.* Gen.  Jackson  had  left  the  place  where  it  exploded  a  few 
minutes  before.  Lieut.  MeCorkle  was  near  the  same  gun,  but  was 
not  killed  until  shortly  afterwards.  Thomas  MeCorkle  and  Berkeley 
Minor  bore  Randolph's  body  off  the  field,  and  that  night  he  and 
Lieut.  MeCorkle  were  buried  together  by  their  weeping  comrades, 
not  very  far  from  where  they  fell." 

Lancelot  Blackford,  who  communicates  these  facts,  says : 
"Few  of  the  victims  of  the  war  have  been  committed  to  the  earth 
on  the  field  of  glory  with  more  genuine  grief  than  that  Avhich 
attended  the  interment  of  these  two  young  heroes,  on  Saturday 
night,  the  13th  of  December,  1862." 

*"Both  of  these  have  since  died  of  their  wounds.  Coleman  was  Pro- 
fessor of  Latin  at  the  University  of  Virginia,  and  Eobinson  of  the  best 
blood  of  Maryland.     Both  were  Christians,  and  died  full  of  hope." 


Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Rnmlolph   Fairfax.  29 


CIIAPTEH  X. 

TrihitU'K  of  Ilix  Pirci'ftlor — His  Comrades — Of  If  Is  CapUiin — 0/  the  Cummnnder' 
iti-Chlef  of  Ihe  Armij  of  Xorlherti  Mrf/iuia — Rer.  J.  P.  Mcfinlrr — K'inloch 
Nelson — Laneelot  M.Iilinkford — //.  (iraluiin — Sen/t  Mucnt — Berkeley  Minor 
— Jos.  Packard — CapUiin  Potujue — (reneral  R.  E.  Lee. 

\Vt.'  have  not  painted  an  ideal  })ortrait  and  written  the  name  of 
Kandolph  Fairfax  \\\^o\\  it.  We  have  done  little  more  than  elassify 
the  facts  of  his  short  life,  and  weave  them  into  a  continuous  narra- 
tive. We  shall  now  only  add  a  few  testimonials,  volunteered  by  his 
fellow-students  and  fellow-soldiers,  who  knew  him  well  in  times 
which  try  men's  souls,  and  where  character  develops  itself  as  freely 
a?  plants  in  the  open  air. 

Rev.  J.  P.  McGuire  says : 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you  are  preparing  a  sketch  of  Randolph 
Fairfax,  persuaded  that  no  worthier  subject  could  occupy  your 
pen 

"'Confining  my  reply  to  the  enquiries  contained  in  your  fetter, 
let  me  begin  by  remarking,  that  a  true  estimate  of  him  must  be 
formed  from  the  general  tenor  of  his  life,  rather  than  from  any 
isolated  incident.  His  character  was  throughout  of  the  highest 
order,  and  perhaps  more  remarkable  for  its  exquisite  finish  than  for 
anything  else.  As  a  pupil  in  the  High  School,  as  a  student,  a  Chris- 
tian, there  was  a  uniform  consistency — making  one  day  of  singular 
excellence  but  the  representative  of  all  the  rest,  and  giving  to  the 
whole  a  completeness  rarely  equalled  in  its  strength  and  loveliness. 
Intellectually  he  was  undoubtedly  one  of  the  first  young  men  of  his 
day.  His  mind  was  strong  and  clear,  understanding  promptly  and 
thoroughly  whatever  he  studied.  A  first-rate  student,  he  acquired 
knowledge  rapidly  and  accurately,  promising  great  success  and  high 
rank  in  whatever  department  of  intellectual  labor  he  might  select, 
^lorally,  I  have  not  known  his  superior,  fiod  endowed  him  with  a 
strange  purity  of  mind  and  heart  by  nature;  and  then  to  this  added 
the  grace  of  true  religion.  With  a  quick  conscience,  and  a  most 
sensitive  regard  to  whatever  was  right,  whatever  was  ]>roper  and 
becoming,  he  was  ever  ready  to  resist  the  slightest  offence  against 
a  stainless  morality.  However  retiring  and  unassuming  in  his  gen- 
eral bearing,  he  was,  nevertheless,  constitutionally  brave;  richly 
gifted  with  that  moral  courage,  the  want  of  which  is  often  the  great 


30  Sketch  of  (he  Life  of  E'ludofjjh  Fairfax. 

defect  of  men  of  genius  and  even  of  gallant  soldiers.  Xot  the 
slightest  timidity  was  there;  no  hesitanc}'  or  avoiding  of  responsi- 
bility where  duty  was  concerned.  Brave  as  Caesar  in  the. field  of 
battle,,  he  was  not  less  so  for  truth  and  right  in  public  and  private, 
in  the  most  retired  walks  of  life,  or  amidst  a  crowd  of  gay  and 
thoughtless  schoolboys,  or  the  tempting  fascinations  of  the  social 
circle.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  modesty  wliich  threw  such  a  charm 
around  him;  nothing  that  native  politeness,  that  unselfish  courtesy, 
which  attracted  to  him  so  many  devoted  hearts,  unless,  in  deed,  it 
was  this  steadiness,  this  quiet  finnness  with  which  he  declined  evil 
associations,  and  preserved  the  purity  with  which  his  divine  Lord 
had  blessed  him.  To  this  heavenly  grace  it,  of  course,  must  be 
ascribed  that  he  stood  so  'clearly  in  the  light  of  God,'  and  reflected 
so  much  of  the  Saviour's  image.  The  uncommon  purity  and  blame- 
lessness  of  his  whole  life  cannot  be  accounted  for  without  looking  to 
those  sj^iritual  influences  which  alone  sanctify  the  heart,  and  clothe 
life  in  the  beauty  of  holiness.  Early  he  had,  no  doubt,  received 
them  from  the  God  and  Father  of  all,  whose  blessed  Spirit  quickens 
in  life's  early  dawn  more  of  the  children  of  men  than  we  are  apt  to 
think.  .  .  .  Without  intending  to  compare  him  with  others, 
particularly  among  his  fellow-students,  for  so  many  of  whom  I  have 
the  highest  admiration,  and  hoping  that  T  may  not  be  deemed 
extravagant,  yet  I  may  not  hesitate  to  sav,  in  conclusion,  that  no 
nobler  son  was  ever  born  within  this  grand  old  commonwealth  than 
Eandolph  Fairfax." 

Kinloch  I^elson,  now  a  Lieutenant  of  Ordnance  in  Kemper's  Bri- 
gade, says : 

"My  acquaintance  with  Randolph  Fairfax  commenced  at  the  High 
School,  in  the  fall  of  1857,  where  his  modest  manners  and  unselfish 
disposition  endeared  him  to  all  around  him.  There  an  intimacy 
began  between  ns  which  the  lapse  of  time  only  strengthened,  and 
which  was  broken  hy  the  rude  hand  of  death  alone.  In  the  next 
summer  he  became  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  during 
the  following  five  years  I  can  truly  say,  that  I  never  saw  him  guilty 
of  a  single  act  inconsistent  with  his  profession.  At  the  L^niversity 
we  were  constantly  together,  and  in  the  army  we  were  intimately 
associated  as  messmates,  and  he  continued  a  faithful  soldier,  alike 
of  his  country  and  of  his  God.  He  was  among  the  first  to  re-enlist 
in  the  spring  of  1802,  and  he  never  lost  a  day  from  sickness  or 
absence  without  leave.  At  Malvern  Hill  he  was  struck  on  the  chest 
by  a  fragment  of  a  shell,  and  turned  t©  leave  the  field;  but  when. 


Sketch  of  (he  Life  of  fidiidul/ih  Foirfa.r.  31 

after  walkings  a  few  steps,  he  founil  it  was  but  a  slight  wound,  he 
returned  to  his  ]>ost.  and  ri-niaincd  until  the  battery  was  ordered 
to  leave  the  Held.  In  the  patient  mdurance  of  all  the  har(lshi[)s  of 
a  soldier's  life  few  ctiualled  him;  in  unfaltc'rin<i;  (.•ouragf.  in  that 
most  trying  arena,  the  battlelii-ld,  none  surpassed  him.  Throughout 
that  whole  campaign  which  shed  such  an  undying  lustre  on  the 
name  of  Jackson — from  the  Romney  expedition  to  the  fatal  tield  of 
Fredericksburg — none  ever  heard  him  murmur,  none  ever  saw  him 
flinch.  In  all  those  trying  marches  he  was  uncomplaining,  alike 
under  the  frosts  of  winter  and  the  burning  suns  of  summer — on  all 
those  bloody  fields,  he  was  ever  the  model  of  a  Christian  soldier.  I 
know  that  none  attain  perfection  in  this  life,  but  1  should  inscribe 
upon  his  tomb,  '^lark  the  perfect  man  and  behold  the  upright,  for 
the  end  of  that  man  is  peace.'  " 

Sergeant  L.  S.  ilacon,  of  the  Rockbridge  Battery,  now  Sheriflf  of 
Albemarle,  who  was  one  of  Randolpli's  messmates,  says : 

"He  was  ever  the  noble,  self-sacrificing  boy  who  commanded  the 
admiration  of  all  around  him.  As  a  soldier  lie  wa>  surpassed  by 
none.  He  never  swerved  from  the  path  of  duty,  and  he  met  danger 
even  at  the  cannon's  mouth,  with  unfaltering  courage.  As  a  Chris- 
tian, he  was  sincere  and  consistent;  conscientious  in  the  discharge 
of  the  duties  of  every  post ;  and  from  his  daily  life  there  was 
reflected  a  light  which  always  makfs  an  unmistakable  impress,  but 
especially  in  the  bloody  strife  of  the  battlefield,  and  in  the  daily 
intercourse  of  camp  life.  In  many  situations  I  have  seen  him 
severely  tested,  and  in  all  he  evinced  the  same  heroism.  In  cold, 
hunger,  or  fatigue,  I  never  heard  him  murmur,  lie  was  ever  ready 
to  share  his  comfort,  and  partake  of  other's  hardships.  Truly  it 
may  be  said  of  him — 

He  lives  upon  all  memories!, 
TliouL'Ii  with  tilt'  buried  gone." 

Lancelot  Blackford,  also  one  of  his  messmates,  in  delineating  his 
character,  says  in  a  letter  written  after  his  death  to  his  parents: 

''That  one  of  his  most  striking  traits  was  his  modesty.  Of  all  the 
people  I  have  ever  known,  he  did  and  said  the  least  to  advance  his 
own  credit,  and  to  draw  attention  to  anything  praiseworthy  of  him- 
self. A  fit  accompaniment  to  his  modesty,  was  his  singular  purity. 
In  this  respect  he  was  in  camp  what  he  was  in  company  of  his 
mother  and  sisters.     Certainly  I  never  saw  the  man  who  was  more 


S2  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax. 

free  from  the  defilements  contracted  in  the  midst  of  this  naughty 
world.  The  purity  of  his  speech  and  conduct,  which  exerted  such 
influence  upon  his  companions,  sprang  from  the  purity  of  his  heart ; 
wliich  in  him  was  the  fruit  of  habitual  abiding  with  him  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Ean.  was  always  attentive  to  religious  duties ;  he  had 
a  well-worn  pocket  Testament,  which  was  each  day  the  man  of  his 
counsel.  I  well  rememl^er  how,  under  the  most  adverse  circum- 
stances, he  always  found  time  to  read  it;  and  the  solemn,  earnest 
expression  of  his  countenance  Avlien  poring  over  the  sacred  pages. 
He  lost  his  prayer-book  in  the  Potomac  the  night  he  dropped  his 
overcoat,  blankets,  &c.  It  was  but  seldom  that  we  were  able  to  spend 
Sunday  appropriately.  Sometimes,  however,  we  were  quiet  enough, 
particularly  between  the  battles  of  Eichmond  and  Cedar  Pain.  On 
these  occasions  we  spent  Sunday,  as  far  as  practicable,  together, 
except  when  divine  service  was  accessible,  or  we  had  prayer  meetings. 
In  our  knapsack  tent  we  frequently  read  together  the  wliole  or  part 
of  the  Church  service,  including  many  of  the  occasional  prayers 
and  thanksgivings.  We  were  both  much  attached  to  the  Liturg)^, 
and  took  much  pleasure  in  the  use  of  its  forms  when  unable  to  attend 
the  public  services  of  the  Church.  The  hardships  of  the  Bath  and 
Romnev  expedition  were  great,  and  the  complaints  of  the  men  not 
nnfrequent ;  but  he  never  complained.  Such  was  his  character, 
whether  undergoing  hardships  or  enduring  the  scarcely  less  painful 
trial  of  performing  the  menial  duties  which  fall  to  the  lot  of  every 
private  soldier,  particularly  in  artillery  service.  I  have  seen  him 
when  detailed  as  teamster  from  the  15th  of  July  to  the  last  of 
August,  after  a  fatiguing  day's  march,  and  just  as  we  were  about 
to  retire  to  rest,  called  up  to  go  in  the  dark  for  forage  to  feed  his 
teams.  Yet  he  bore  all  these  exacting  duties,  such  as  watering, 
feeding,  currying  and  harnessing  horses,  with  such  equanimity  and 
sweetness  as  to  strike  all  his  associates.  The  refined  gentleman 
made  a  first-rate  ostler  when  the  exigency  demanded  it,  because  he 
considered  it  incumbent  on  him  to  do  his  duty  in  everything  that 
became  a  soldier.  We  had  few  men  who  were  regarded  as  he  was 
by  our  captain  and  other  officers.  This  was  the  subject  of  almost 
the  last  conversation  I  had  with  one  of  them.  First  Lieutenant  Gra- 
ham. The  point  upon  which  all  officers  and  men  chiefly  agreed  in 
admiring  him  was  his  unswerving  devotion  to  duty,  whether  in  camp 
or  in  action.  Members  of  the  company  in  lamenting  his  fall  would 
remark  with  emphasis,  'What  a  good  soldier  Fairfax  was !'  " 

Berkeley  Minor  says : 

"I  knew  Eandolpli  Fairfax  at  the  University  quite  well.  l3Ut  not 


SIcctrh  of  the  Life  if  Ranilolph   Fairfax.  33 

so  intimately  as  I  did  after  he  joined  this  company  (tiie  Rockbridge 
I^ittery).  For  several  months  before  his  death  I  was  his  messmate 
and  bed-fellow,  and  was  able  to  note  more  fully  the  tone  of  earnest 
jncly  tiiat  pervaded  his  words  and  actions.  He  was  unselfish, 
modest,  and  uniformly  kind  and  considerate  to  all.  If  there  was 
one  trait  in  him  more  striking  than  others,  it  was  his  cahn,  earnest, 
trustful  demeanor  in  time  of  battle,  resulting,  I  believe,  from  his 
al)iding  trust  in  the  providence  and  love  of  God.  ^lany  fine  young 
men  have  been  removed  by  death  from  the  romi)any,  yet  I  do  not 
thiulc  that  anv  has  been  more  deeplv  anJ  universally  lamented 
than  he." 

Joseph  Packard,  another  of  his  comrades,  says: 

"His  cheerful  courage,  his  coolness  and  steadiness,  made  him  con- 
>picuov.s  in  every  battlefield.  At  the  battle  of  Malvern  Hill,  where 
he  had  received  a  wound  which  nine  out  of  ten  would  have  consid- 
ered an  excuse  for  retiring  from  the  awful  scene,  he  persisted  in 
remaining  at  his  post,  and  did  the  work  of  two  until  the  battery  left 
the  field.  But  it  was  in  the  bearing  more  than  in  the  daring  of  the 
soldiers  life  that  his  lovely  character  displayed  itself.  He  never 
avoided  the  most  irksome  and  trying  duties.  If  he  had  selfishness, 
tliose  who  knew  him  long  and  well  as  schoolmate  and  comrade  never 
discerned  it.  More  than  once  I  have  heard  his  beautiful  Christian 
example  spoken  of  by  irreligious  comrades.  When  I  heard  of  his 
dtath,  though  only  the  bare  fact  was  stated,  I  knew  that  he  had  died 
at  his  post,  in  the  path  of  duty  and  heroic  self-sacrifice.  Bitter  and 
inexj)licable  as  may  be  the  Providence  which  has  removed  one  so 
full  of  ]>romi.-;e  of  good  to  his  fellows,  I  feel  that  we  may  thank  God 
that  we  have  been  permitted  to  witness  a  life  so  Christ-like  termi- 
nated by  a  death  so  noble.'" 

Captain  Poague.  coiiimauding  the  Rockbridge  Battery,  says  in  a 
letter  to  his  father: 

"In  simple  justice  to  your  .son  I  desire  to  express  my  high  appre- 
ciation of  his  noble  character  as  a  soldier,  a  Christian  and  a  gentle- 
man, ^lodest  and  courteous  in  his  deportment,  charitable  and 
unselfish  in  his  disposition,  cheerful  and  conscientious  in  his  i)er- 
formance  of  duty,  and  upright  and  consistent  in  his  walk  and  con- 
versation, he  was  a  universal  favorite  in  the  company,  and  greatly 
])eloved  bv  his  friends.  I  don't  think  1  have  ever  known  a  vouuir 
man  whose  life  was  so  free  from  the  frailties  of  human  nature,  and 
■whose  character  in  all  aspects  formed  so  faultless  a  model  for  the 


34  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Bandolph  Fairfax. 

imitation  of  others.  Had  his  influence  been  restricted  to  the  silent 
power  and  beauty  of  his  example,  his  life  on  earth,  short  as  it  was, 
would  not  have  been  in  vain.  The  name  of  Randolph  Fairfax  will 
not  soon  be  forgotten  b}'  his  comrades,  and  his  family  may  be  assured 
that  there  are  numy  who.  strangers  as  they  are.  deeply  svmpathize 
with  them  in  their  l)ereavement.'" 

The  following  from  Gen.  Lee  will  be  a  fit  climax  to  the  foregoing 
tributes : 

"Camp  Fredericksburg^  Dec.  28tli.  1862. 

"My  Dear  Doctor. — I  have  grieved  most  deeply  at  the  death  of 
vonr  noble  son.  1  have  watched  his  conduct  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war,  and  have  pointed  with  pride  to  the  patriotism, 
self-denial  and  manliness  of  character  he  has  exhibited.  I  had  hoped 
that  an  opportunity  would  have  occurred  for  the  promotion  lie 
deserved :  not  that  it  would  have  elevated  him.  but  have  shown  that 
his  devotion  to  duty  was  appreciated  by  his  country.  Such  an  oppor- 
tunity would  undoubtedly  have  occurred ;  but  he  has  been  translated 
to  a  better  world,  for  which  his  purity  and  his  piety  have  eminently 
fitted  him.  You  do  not  require  to  be  told  how  great  his  gain.  It  is 
the  living  for  whom  T  sorrow.  I  beg  you  will  offer  to  Mrs.  Fairfax 
and  your  daughters  my  heartfelt  sympathy,  for  I  know  the  depth 
of  their  grief.  That  God  may  give  you  and  them  strength  to  bear 
this  great  affliction,  is  the  earnest  pra3'er  of  your  early  friend, 

"R.  E.  Lee. 

"Dr.  Orlando  Fairfax." 

An  enthusiastic  soldier,  after  reading  General  Lee's  letter, 
exclaimed :  "Such  an  honor  were  indeed  worth  dying  for.''  Another 
soldier,  not  less  enthusiastic,  said :  "The  original  of  this  letter,  if 
addressed  to  me  under  similar  circumstances,  I  should  preserve  as 
the  most  precious  I  ever  received — a  thing  to  be  handed  down  to 
the  latest  posterity,  a  testimonial  which  a  stranger  would  regard 
centuries  hence  as  in  itself  a  patent  of  nobility."' 


S/^etch  of  the  Life  of  JR'im/ulph  Fairfax.  35 


ClIArTKIJ  XT. 

Analysis  of  Jfis  Charader,  its  6''/'«''"''ri/,  iV-i  Root — Tlie  Man  of  the  World  nud 
tfif  Chrisliart—  Faith  and  Senm: — His  >Staudard — Extract  from  one  of  His 
E^ssays — The  Ground  of  His  Hope — Jlix  Diary. 

Lord  Bacon  say:;,  a  man  that  is  younj;  in  years  may  be  old  in 
liours.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  lived  just  twenty  years  and 
twenty  days.*  If  we  measure  his  life  by  years,  it  was  short ;  and  we 
may  say  of  him  that  he  came  up  and  was  cut  down  like  a  flower.  If 
we  mea>ure  it  by  the  number  of  events,  it  was  long,  for  it  was 
crowded  with  events.  To  have  been  in  one  great  l)attlo  for  his  coun- 
try is  an  era  in  a  man's  life  never  forgotten,  and  to  which  he  always 
refers  with  pride.  Randolph  Fairfax  in  the  space  of  sixteen  months 
was  in  ten  fierce  battles  and  many  intervening  skirmishes.  To  have 
leceived  the  approbation  of  his  teacher,  taken  the  honors  of  his 
school,  and  won  the  hearts  of  his  fellow-students,  are  not  common 
events.  To  have  attracted  the  attention  and  elicited  the  commenda- 
lion  of  his  commanders  is  an  honor  to  the  soldier  in  the  ranks.  But 
to  have  won  the  unanimous  applause  of  his  comrades,  not  merely 
tor  courage  in  action,  patience  in  suffering,  and  for  uniform  devo- 
tion to  duty,  but  to  have  gained  their  esteem  and  aeffction  ])y  all 
those  nameless  graces  which  beautified  his  daily  life  in  camp,  is  a 
higlier  honor  still.  If  we  analyse  his  life  and  character  lo  detect  the 
secret  of  his  popularity  and  success,  we  shall  not  find  it  in  the  promi- 
nence of  any  one  or  two  traits.  Some  men  had  as  much  genius, 
others  as  high  culture,  some  as  fine  a  person,  others  as  nuich  mod- 
esty, piety,  sweetness  of  temper  and  gentleness  of  manners.  It  was 
that  these  elements  were  so  mixed  in  him  as  to  make  his  character 
round  and  symmetrical,  f  If  we  search  for  the  germ  of  such  a  char- 
acter, we.  shall  find  it  to  be  a  deeply-rooted  religious  principle,  of 
Aviiich  his  life  was  the  normal  development.  He  seemed  to  have, 
ve  learn  from  his  diary,  an  habitual  sen.se  of  the  pre.sence  of  (Tod — 
hearing  his  word,  witnessing  his  actions,  and  looking  at  his  heart. 
He  lived  as  in  the  great  Taskmaster's  eye.  This  is  the  essential 
difference  between  a  Christian  and  a  man  of  the  world.  The  worldly 


*Thoma.s,  son  of  Hon.  \Vm.  Fairfax,  the  liandsonieft  younp  man  of  hiss 
day,  a  miilslii[)man,  was  killed  on  the  Ifarn-irh,  Captain  Barnet.  2(!th  of 
June,  174(<,  in  the  twentieth  year  of  liis  age. 

t  Totus  iereiffue  mttitnlus. 


36  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax. 

man  only  looks  at  things  tangible,  visible  and  temporal.  He  has  no 
perception  of  spiritual  things.  He  sees  only  by  the  light  of  his 
natural  faculties.  Faith  is  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen;  it 
passes  the  bounds  of  sense,  and  imparts  to  invisible  and  eternal 
things  the  life  and  power  of  waking  certainties  and  actual  exist- 
istences.  This  is  the  victory  that  overcoraeth  the  world,  even  our 
faith. 

Again,  our  young  friend,  as  we  see  by  an  inspection  of  his  diary, 
did  not  measure  himself  by  any  human  standard.  He  daily  looked 
unto  Jesus.  His  model  was  "God  manifest  in 'the  flesh."  He  aspired 
after  conformity  to  His  image  who  did  no  sin  and  yet  died  for  the 
sins  of  others.  As  Kandolph  himself  says,  in  a  manuscript  essay 
which  now  lies  before  us : 

"Where  can  we  find  such  an  example  of  courage  in  doing  duty  as 
in  the  life  of  the  'man  of  sorrows'  who  endured  the  cross,  despising 
the  shame?  Truly  this  is  an  example  to  follow,  though  we  may 
never  attain  till,  perfected  by  Him,  we  sit  down  in  His  kingdom." 


Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax.  37 


(IIAI'TF.R  XIT. 

No  Incompatiliilit!/  bclwccn  the  Life  of  the  Soldier  and  that  of  the  Christian — 
Courage  atid  Christiauily  Coiii]>atihle — The  Highest  Type  of  Bravery  is  the 
Man  ivho  fears  God  and  who  ]ias  no  other  Fear. 

\{i\m\o]\)h  Fairl'jix  -mUU  anoilu'r  to  tlie  many  pleasing  illustrations 
furnished  by  this  war,  of  the  truth  that  there  is  nothing  incompati- 
ble between  the  life  of  a  Christian  and  that  of  a  soldier.  Indeed, 
other  things  being  equal,  a  conscientious  Christian  should  make  the 
best  soldier.  He  will  not  straggle  from  the  ranks,  skulk  his  duty, 
nor  desert  his  colors.  Although  war  is  in  general  inconsistent  with 
the  genius  of  Christianity,  and  wars  of  ambition  or  covetousness, 
for  conquest  or  subjugation,  are  specially  wicked  as  to  those  who 
are  responsible  for  them;  yet  even  in  such  cases  it  may  be  incum- 
bent on  a  Christian  citizen  to  take  up  arms  in  obedience  to  the 
"powers  that  be."  When  soldiers  asked  John  the  Baptist  what  they 
must  do,  he  did  not  raise  a  question  as  to  the  lawfulness  of  war  in 
general,  or  of  the  particular  wars  in  which  they  were  enlisted,  but 
dismissed  them  with  the  comprehensive  precept,  "Do  violence  to  no 
man,  and  be  content  with  your  wages"' ;  that  is,  do  your  duty  with- 
out murmuring  and  without  any  wanton  violation  of  the  rights  of 
others.  As  to  defensive  wars,  it  seems  to  be  generally  agreed  that 
tliey  are  lawful.  The  same  instinct  that  prompts  an  innocent  bird 
to  defend  its  nest  and  its  helpless  young.  Justifies  man  in  defending 
his  home,  his  w^ife  and  his  children,  his  rights  of  person  and  of 
property,  against  lawdess  aggression.  And  the  soldier  who  fights 
and  falls  in  such  a  cause,  not  only  obeys  instincts  which  are  a  law  of 
nature,  but  is  a  martyr  to  principle. 

Such  examples  also  prove  that  Christianity  and  courage  are  not 
incompatible.  There  is  a  vulgar  notion  that  a  Christian  must  needs 
be  a  coward.  This  notion  is  founded  upon  the  error  that  he  only 
is  the  brave  man  who  resents  every  insult  wath  blows  or  with  arms. 
According  to  this  notion,  a  gamecock  is  the  bravest  of  animals  and 
a  vulgar  bully  the  bravest  of  men.  But  the  truth  is,  that  fighting  of 
itself  is  no  proof  of  courage  at  all.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  often  the 
result  of  cowardice,  having  no  higher  motive  than  the  jeers  and 
scoffs  of  other  men.  This  deference  to  opinion  is  one  of  the  most 
powerful  motives  of  liuman  conduct,  and  sometimes  screws  the 
courage  of  the  most  abject  cowards  up  to  the  fighting  point.    ^lany 


38  Sheteh  of  (he  Life  of  RfnudApli  Fairfax. 

cowards  would  face  the  pistol  or  the  cannon,  and  quail  before  the 
finger  of  scorn  pointed  1)V  men  whom  they  despise.  If  we  were 
called  u])on  to  define  a  brave  man,  we  should  say  of  him  that  he  was 
a  man  who  fears  God  and  who  has  no  other  fear.  That  such  were 
the  principles  of  Raudolj^h  Fairfax  we  learn  from  an  essay  on  moral 
courage  written  by  him  before  the  war,  in  which  he  contrasts  the 
death  of  a  soldier,  sacrificing  his  life  on  the  field  of  battle  from  a 
mere  sense  of  honor,  with  the  death  of  a  Christian  martyr,  dying 
from  a  sense  of  dut}'. 

"The  soldier,"  he  says,  "encouraged  by  the  shouts  of  his  com- 
rades and  the  stirring  blasts  of  the  bugle,  and  knowing  that  a  more 
certain  death  and  disgrace  awaits  him  should  he  yield  to  the  base 
impulses  of  his  nature,  may  perform  prodigies  of  valor,  and,  rush- 
ing through  storms  of  shot,  meet  death  at  the  cannon's  mouth.  Con- 
trast him  with  the  martyr  who,  rather  than  abjure  his  faith  and 
depart  from  the  path  of  duty,  endures  the  scoffs  of  a  misguided 
rabble,  and  dies  a  death  many  times  more  terrible  than  that  of  the 
soldier.  Plow  vastly  superior  is  the  courage  of  the  man  who  sur- 
mounts all  difficulties  and  l)raves  all  dangers  from  a  sense  of  duty." 

These  principles  our  young  friend  not  merely  maintained  in  the- 
ory, but  he  illustrated  them  in  his  life  and  scaled  them  with  his 
blood. 

He  only  lived  but  till  he  was  a  man  ; 
The  which  no  sooner  had  his  prowess  confirmed, 
In  the  unshrinking  station  where  he  fought, 
But  like  a  man  he  died. 

One  might  well  su})pose  that  a  young  man  so  much  admired, 
beloved  and  lauded  as  we  have  seen  that  Randolph  Fairfax  was  by 
his  fellow-students  and  fellow-soldiers,  would  be  likely  to  have  more 
of  the  spirit  of  the  Pharisee  than  of  the  Publican.  But  it  would 
seem  that  the  higher  a  man  rises  above  the  earth,  and  the  nearer 
his  vision  of  God,  the  deeper  is  his  insight  into  his  own  heart.  "When 
Ave  only  hear  of  God  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear,  we  may  have  a  good 
opinion  of  ourselves;  but  when  we  see  Him  with  the  eye  of  faith, 
we  ahkor  ourselves,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes.  That  this  was  the 
case  with  our  young  friend  will  appear  in  the  daily  record  of  his 
experience,  made  when  he  was  alone  with  God,  and  which  he  never 
dreamed  would  be  seen  by  the  eye  of  man;  for  no  one  knew  of  its 
existence  until  after  his  death.  We  make  a  few  more  extracts  from 
it,  which  are  a  fair  sample  of  the  whole  book : 


Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax.  39 

"How  little  do  I  know  of  myself,  0  God !  I  know  that  my  heart 
is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  1  pray  Thee  to  make  it  known  to 
me,  that  I  may  east  all  the  burden  of  my  sin  upon  Christ,  and  obtain 
a  new  heart.  0  Father,  reveal  thyself  to  me,  through  thy  Son,  and 
shed  abroad  thy  love  in  my  heart.  Let  me  not  deceive  myself  by 
any  appearance  of  holiness,  but  may  I  forget  those  things  which  are 
behind,  i>.nd  press  forward  towards  Thee.  Oh !  when  shall  I  cease 
-inning  and  be  truly  regenerated  by  the  Holy  Spirit?  ^fy  heart  is 
not  intiuenced  as  it  ought  to  l)e  by  the  love  of  God,  or  how  could  I 
find  it  so  hard  to  serve  him?  0  God,  put  thy  fear  in  my 
heart,  and  let  not  the  fear  of  man  keep  me  from  my  duty.  Oh  I 
reveal  thyself  to  me.  and  show  me  my  deep  sinfulness,  and  show 
me  also  my  Saviour  on  the  cross,  and  enable  me  to  go  to  him.  Wean 
me  from  this  sinful  world ;  soften  my  heart,  and  give  me  a  single  eye 
to  thy  glory.  Grant  me  grace  to  keep  all  my  good  resolutions,  not 
trusting  in  my  own  strength,  which  is  weakness,  but  in  thine 
almighty  aid,  which  can  make  me  truly  one  of  thy  servants,  although 
I  am  so  sinful.'^ 

Again : 

"Another  Sabbath  is  past,  and  how  have  I  improved  my  oppor- 
tunities? Have  I  grown  in  grace?  My  soul  sinks  within  me  when 
I  reflect  upon  these  questions.  I  have  sinned  against  the  great  ma- 
jesty of  God  in  not  worshipping  him  with  my  whole  heart,  f  have 
partaken  of  the  Holy  Communion,  and  T  hope  to  the  good  of  my 
soul ;  but  if  not,  how  great  is  my  danger?  Do  I  love  God,  or  no?  is 
a  question  which  tries  my  very  heart.  0  God,  if  I  have  never  loved 
Thee  before,  help  me  to  begin  to-day !  Oh,  how  hard  my  heart 
seems.  I  can  think  of  God,  but  he  seems  like  some  great  being  afar 
off,  whom  I  can  never  reach.  My  faith  is  so  small.  Oh,  reveal  thy- 
self to  me:  my  heart  is  so  proud  and  sinful,  and  so  much  actuated 
by  the  praises  of  men.  0  God,  humble  me  in  the  dust ;  teach  me 
to  know  myself,  and  make  thyself  known  to  me  through  my  crucified 
Lord.  ^Makc  the  union  between  thy  Spirit  and  mine  closer  and 
closer." 

Such  was  Randolph  Fairfax's  estimate  of  himself  when  alone 
with  God,  whose  all-seeing  eye  was  shining  through  him,  revealing 
everv  mote  to  his  own  eve.  While  the  mouths  of  others  were  rino- 
ing  with  his  praises,  he  laid  his  hand  upon  his  own  mouth  in  the 
dust,  and  cried,  '"God  be  merciful  to  me,  a  sinner."  Such  is  the 
history  of  a  private  in  the  ranks,  which  we  dedicate  to  the  privates 

4 


40  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Randolph  Fairfax. 

of  tlie  Confederate  army.  May  they  follow  the  example  of  his  life 
as  he  followed  Christ,  and  may  his  death  inspire  them  with  renewed 
devotion  to  the  cause  which  drew  from  liis  l^leeding  heart  its  last 
libation. 

How  glorious  fall  the  valiant,  sword  in  hand, 
In  front  of  battle  for  their  native  land. 

But  youth's  fair  form,  though  fallen,  is  ever  fair, 
And  beautiful  in  death  the  boy  appears — 
The  hero  boy  that  dies  in  blooming  year ; 
In  man's  regret  he  lives,  and  woman's  tears. 
More  sacred  than  in  life,  and  lovelier  far 
For  having  perished  in  the  front  of  wai'. 


THE  FAIRFAX  FAMILY. 


This  family  dati'-  fnmi  tlie  ( 'on<]uest.     Tln'  naiiif  i>  Saxon,  and 
mean?  fair  hair. 

Kandoipli  Fairfax,  the  subject  of  this  Memoir,  is  lineal  descend- 
ant of  Sir  (luy  Fairfax  of  Steeton,  Yorkshire,  l',^th  in  descent  from 
the  founder  of  the  family,  and  Judge  of  King's  Bencli,  1477.  Sir 
Wm.  Fairfax,  his  grandson,  was  High  Sheriff  of  Yorkshire,  temp. 
Henry  VIII.  Sir  Thomas,  his  son,  who  served  in  Italy  and  Ger- 
many, was  also  High  Sheriff  in  1571.  He  was  the  father  of  Sir 
Thomas  of  Denton,  wlio  was  knighted,  at  tlie  siege  of  Rouen  in 
1594,  by  the  Earl  of  Essex,  Captain-General  of  the  Queen's  forces, 
and  afterwards  raised  to  the  peerage  (1G27)  with  the  title  of  Lord 
Fairfax,  Baron  of  Cameron.  He  died,  aged  eighty,  in  1640.  His 
son,  Ferdinand,  succeeded  to  the  title.  Tliomas,  son  of  the  last, 
was  the  famous  Lord  General  of  the  Parliamentary  forces,  and  his 
name  is  interwoven  with  the  annals  of  the  "Great  Rebellion."  He 
dissented  from  Cromwell's  extreme  measures  towards  the  King, 
and  was  afterwards  active  in  the  restoration  of  monarchy.  His 
only  child,  a  daughter,  married  the  Duke  of  Buckingham.  The 
title  descended  to  Henry,  eldest  son  of  Rev.  Henry  Fairfax,  Rector 
of  Bolton  Percy,  who  was  the  2d  son  of  the  1st  Lord.  He  and  his 
son  Thomas,  the  5th  Lord,  were  prominent  in  the  Revolution  of 
1688.  The  5th  Lord  married  Catherine,  daughter  of  Lord  Cul- 
peper,  and  tlieir  son  Thomas  (the  6th  Lord)  derived,  through  his 
motluT,  Leeds  Castle  in  Kent,  several  manors  in  England,  and  the 
Xorthern  Xeck  of  Virginia,  containing  more  than  five  millions  of 
acres  of  land.  He  died  a  bachelor  at  Greenway  Court  in  Virginia, 
December  9th,  1781,  in  the  ninety-second  year  of  his  age.  The  title 
went  to  his  brother  Robert,  of  Leeds  Castle,  who  also  dying  with- 
out issue,  the  title  reverted  to  Rev.  Bryan  Fairfax,  Rector  of  Fair- 
fax Parish,  Virginia,  who  was  the  son  of  Win.  Fairfax  of  Belvoir, 
Virginia  (first  cousin  of  the  last  two  lords).  Thomas  of  Vaucluse, 
the  eldest  son  of  Bryan,  succeeded  him  as  9th  Lord.  He  married 
Miss  Herbert,  and  had  four  sons:  1.  Albert;  2.  Henry,  who  died 
in  the  Mexican  War;  3.  Orlando,  M.  D.,  who  married  Mary  Ran- 
dolph Cary,  and  was  the  father  of  T'fnuJoJph  Fairfax,  the  subject  of 
this  ^Memoir;  4.  Reginald.  Albert,  the  eldest  son,  who  married 
Miss  Snowden  of  Maryland,  died  before  his  father,  and  on  the 
death  of  the  latter  in  1846,  the  title  went  to  his  eldest  son,  Charles 
Snowden  Fairfax,  who  dying  childless  in  1869,  the  title  went  to 


42  Genealogy. 

his  brother,  John  Contee  Fairfax,  M.  D.,  the  11th  and  present 
Lord. 

The  first  of  the  family  who  came  to  America  was  Colonel  Wm. 
Fairfax,  son  of  Henry  of  Towlston,  Yorkshire,  and  nephew  of  Lord 
Lonsdale.  He  served  in  Queen  Anne"s  war  in  Spain,  and  was  Gov- 
ernor of  the  Isle  of  Providence.  By  his  first  wife,  Sarah  Walker, 
he  had  four  children:  1.  Geo.  Wm.,  who  married  Sarah  Car}';  2. 
Thomas,  K.  X.,  killed  1T46:  3.  Anne  married  Lawrence,  elder 
brother  of  Gen.  Washington :  4.  Mrs.  Carlyle.  He  settled  in  Salem, 
Mass.,  in  1725,  as  collector  of  customs,  and  married  there  his  second 
wife,  Del)orah.  daughter  of  Francis  Clarke,  by  whom  he  had  three 
children:  1.  Bryan,  afterward  8th  Lord  and  Rector  of  Fairfax 
Parish,  who  married  Elizabeth  Cary :  2.  Wm.  Henry,  killed  at 
Quebec  under  Wolfe* :  3.  Hannah,  who  married  Warner  Washing- 
ton, a  first  cousin  to  Gen.  Washington.  At  the  request  of  his 
kinsinan,  the  proprietor  of  the  Xorthern  Xeck,  he  came  to  Virginia 
in  IT 34,  to  look  after  that  immense  estate,  which  had  been  under 
the  care  of  Eobert,  commonly  called  King  Carter.  He  opened  an 
office,  first  in  Westmoreland,  and  then  moved  to  Fairfax  county, 
where  he  built  Belvoir,  near  !Mount  Yernon.  He  was  Lord  Lieu- 
tenant of  that  county,  collector  of  South  Potomac,  and  President 
of  the  Council  of  Yirginia.  He  died  September  3,  IT 57.  His 
oldest  son,  George  Wm.  Fairfax,  was  co-surveyor  with  Washington, 
and  succeeded  to  his  father's  employments.  It  was  while  canvass- 
ing for  this  gentleman  for  the  House  of  Burgesses  that  Washington 
was  knocked  down  by  the  ancestor  of  Bishop  Payne,  and  instead 
of  challenging  Payne,  as  was  expected,  acknowledged  himself  to  be 
in  the  wrong,  and  magnanimously  volunteered  an  apology.  Mr. 
Fairfax  died  in  England  in  1T8T. 

Thomas,  Lord  Fairfax,  Proprietor  of  the  Xorthern  Xeck.  came 
first  to  America  in  1T39,  and  finally  in  1T46;  and  after  living  for 
several  years  with  his  kinsman  at  Belvoir,  removed  to  Frederick 
county,  where  he  built  Greenway  Court,  near  the  Wliite  Post,  in 
what  is  now  Clarke  county.  He  was  a  man  of  high  culture,  having 
l)een  in  England  a  member  of  the  famous  Kit  Cat  Club,  and  with 
Addison  one  of  the  writers  of  the  Spectator.  Although  living  long 
in  the  wilderness,  he  retained  his  courtly  manners.  He  was  Lord 
Lieutenant  and  keeper  of  the  rolls  of  the  county,  and  presided  at 
the  courts  in  Winchester,  where  he  kept  an  open  table.  After 
Braddock's  defeat  he  was  in  constant  peril  from  the  Indians,  who 
Avere  said  to  be  specially  covetous  of  his  scalp,  and  yet  he  could  not 

*  Before  the  battle  General  Wolfe  touched  him  on  the  shoulder  and  said  : 
"  Young  man,  when  we  come  into  action,  remember  your  name.'  '" 


Genealogy.  43 

be  induced  to  remove  to  a  place  of  safety.  His  favorite  amusement 
was  hunting:  and  after  carrying  his  hounds  to  distant  iiunting 
grounds,  his  habit  was  to  entertain  all  gentlemen  who  attended  him 
in  the  field.  He  was  munilicent  to  the  poor  and  i)rincely  towards 
his  tenants.  Although  a  Loyalist,  he  was  not  molested  except  by 
being  doubly  taxed.  He  died  a  bachelor  at  Cirreenway  Court  in 
1T81.  ill  the  ninety-second  year  of  his  age.  He  was  buried  under 
the  communion  tal»le  of  the  Episcopal  church  at  Winchester,  whose 
site  and  the  graveyard  surrounding  it  he  had  given,  and  of  which 
he  was  an  active  vestryman  and  communicant.  It  is  worthy  of 
being  noted  that  political  differences  never  marred  the  friendship 
nor  interrupted  the  social  relations  of  Washington  and  the  earlier 
Fairfaxes.  He  kept  up  a  friendly  correspondence  witli  them,  did 
them  many  good  offices,  and  bequeathed  to  the  rector  of  Fairfax 
Parish  the  elegant  Bible  in  three  folios  presented  to  him  by  Wilson, 
Bishop  of  Sodor  and  Man.  Irving  and  other  authors  ascribe  to 
Washington's  intimate  association  with  these  highly  cultivated 
and  courtly  Christian  gentlemen  much  influence  in  the  formation 
and  development  of  his  own  unique  character  and  career. 

See  Ward's  Diary  of  an  American  Eefugce  in  Enf/land.  to  which 
I  acknowledge  my  obligations.  See  also  Fairfax  Corres^pondi'nce, 
4  vols.  8vo,  for  extracts  from  which  I  am  indebted  to  L.  M.  Black- 
ford, Esq.,  Principal  of  the  Episcopal  High  School  of  Virginia,  a 
gentleman  who  aims  to  realize  the  ideal  of  Arnold  of  Rugby. 


THE  GARY  FAMILY. 


Lower,  in  his  '•  Xorman  Surnames,''  says,  ''  The  Carys.  originally 
Pipart,  were  of  Xormandy  in  1180,  but  on  settling  in  England  had 
the  lands  of  Kari  and  assumed  the  present  name."  The  first  we 
find  in  history  was  Adam  de  Kari,  Lord  of  Castle  Kari  in  Somerset, 
tenij).  Richard  Canir  de  Lion.  His  descendant.  Sir  John  Cary,  of 
Cockington  and  Clovelly,  Devon,  was  Lord  Chief  Baron  of  the 
Exchequer  (temp.  Richard  11.),  and  suffered  confiscation  and  ban- 
ishment for  adhering  to  his  King.  His  son.  Sir  Rol)ert,  by  acts 
of  gallantry  propitiated  Henry  Y..  who  restored  part  of  his  estates. 
Sir  Robert's  grandscui.  Sir  William,  was  beheaded  after  the  battle 
of  Tewkesbury  (1471 )  for  fighting  under  the  banner  of  Lancaster, 
and  his  broad  acres  fell  to  a  Y«irki>r.  ■  A  partial  restoration  was 
made  to  his  eldest  son  by  Henry  VIL,  but  the  riches  of  their  fore- 
fathers were  no  longer  theirs,  and  the  younger  sons  .*ought  their 
fortunes  elsewhere,  some  at  court,  and  others  at  Bristol  and  London, 


44  (tcnv(ihi(lij. 

then  the  great  commercial  marts  of  England.  Sir  William's  eldest 
son  recovered  Clovelly  and  Cockington,  and  from  him  descends  a 
long  line  of  knights  and  squires  to  the  present  head  of  the  family. 
Robert  Cary,  of  Torre  Abbey,  Torquay,  Devonshire,  a  man  of  great 
wealtli.  .Sir  William's  second  son,  Thomas,  married  a  grand- 
daughter of  the  Duke  of  Somerset,  and  was  ancestor  of  the  en- 
nobled branches  of  the  family,  Falkland,  Hunsdon,  Dover,  and 
Monmouth.  Thus :  Thomas  Cary  married  Eleanor  Spencer,  and 
liis  son.  Sir  John,  was  the  father  of  Sir  Edward,  master  of  the 
jewel-house  to  Queen  p]lizabeth  and  James  I.  His  son.  Sir  Henry, 
was  Knight  of  the  Bath,  comptroller  of  the  King's  household 
(1617),  Lord  Deputy  of  Ireland  (1G22),  and  was  about  the  same 
time  (1620)  created  Viscount  Falkland,  l^eing  in  high  esteem  with 
the  King  for  great  alulities.  He  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-seven 
from  l)rcaking  his  leg  in  Theobald  Park,  1633.  His  son.  Sir 
Lucius,  was  the  great  Lord  Falkland,  Secretary  of  State,  orator, 
poet,  divine.  He  was  the  intimate  friend  of  Boyle,  Chillingworth, 
and  the  poets  Sandys,  Cowley  and  Waller.  His  library  at  Tew  was 
the  armory  whence  Chillingworth  drew  his  weapons  of  controversy 
with  the  Romanists.  Bishop  Barlow  says  that  most  of  the  authori- 
ties that  Chillingworth  made  such  use  of  he  owed  to  my  Lord 
Falkland,  who  was  a  true  son  of  the  Church  of  England ;  and  Sir 
John  Suckling,  in  his  "  Session  of  the  Poets,''  says  of  him: — 

"  Bat  he  was  of  late  so  gone  with  divinity 
That  he  had  almost  forgot  his  poetry ; 
Though,  to  say  truth,  and  Apollo  did  know  it, 
He  might  have  been  both  his  priest  and  his  poet." 

The  issue  of  this  lord,  who  fell  at  Xewbury  in  the  thirty-fourth 
year  of  his  age,  failed  in  his  grandson  Anthony,  5th  Viscount. 
The  present  Viscount  is  descended  from  Patrick,  brother  of  the 
great  Falkland,  of  whom  Walter  Scott  speaks,  in  "Woodstock," 
as  "  the  witty  young  priest." 

Another  son  of  Thomas  Cary  and  Eleanor  Spencer  was  William, 
who  married  ^lary  Boleyn,  whose  son  was  Henry,  Lord  Hunsdon, 
who  was  tlie  father  of  Sir  George  (2d  Lord  Hunsdon),  Sir  John 
(3d  Lord),  Sir  Edmund,  and  Sir  Robert,  Earl  of  jNIonmouth.  The 
line  of  the  3d  Lord  Hunsdon  failed  in  his  grandson.  John.  5th 
Lord  Hunsdon  and  2d  Earl  of  Dover,  and  the  title  became  extinct 
in  1765  on  the  death  of  William  Ferdinand,  8th  Lord,  descended 
from  Sir  Edmund.  3d  son  of  tlie  1st  Lord.  Sir  Robert  Cary, 
youngest  son  of  1st  Hunsdon,  was  created  h\  Charles  I.  Earl  of 
:\ronmouth.  The  title  became  extinct  at  the  deatli  (1661)  of 
Henry.   2d    Earl,   his   son   Lionel,   Lord   Leppington,  having  been 


'  Genealogi/.  4o 

.slain  at  Marston  ^loor.  Thomas  ("arv,  brotlier  of  the  '2(1  Earl 
(a  poet  of  iioto,  soinetimos  orroiu'ously  called  Vnrew,  tho  two  names 
liL'iiiir  ]ironoiince(l  nearly  alike  in  Kii;;lan(l),  left  an  only  daughter, 
who  carried  the  title  of  Monmouth  into  the  Mordaunt  family.  The 
ilunsdon  branch  usually  s])elt  the  name  Carry. 

Colonel  Arehy  Cary  of  Amiithill.  of  whom  ilr.  Grigshy  has 
jiainted  so  fine  a  portrait  in  his  grand  historical  picture  of  the 
Convention  of  171(i.  has  been  thought  in  \'irginia  to  be  the  heir 
of  the  Hunsdon  title  at  the  death  of  the  last  lord  (17(55).  This 
error  prol»ably  arose  from  the  fact  that  in  the  pedigree  in  the 
Heralds  College  in  London  the  Carys  of  Virginia  are  duly  recog- 
nized as  kinsmen  by  Lord  Hunsdon. 

The  direct  ancestor  of  the  Carys  of  Virginia  was  William  Cary, 
one  of  the  merchant  ])rinces  of  Bristol,  who  became  Mayor  of  that 
city  in  lo4G,  temj).  Henry  VIII.  His  grandson  William  was  also 
Mayor  in  1611.  The  first  Virginia  ancestor,  Colonel  Myles  Cary, 
grandson  of  the  last  mayor,  came  from  Bristol  soon  after  its  sur- 
render to  the  Roimdheads  in  1645.  He  soon  became  prominent 
in  the  colony,  was  a  member  of  the  House  of  Burgesses  (1G59) 
from  Warwick  Escheator  General,  Collector  of  Customs  for  eTames 
Kiver,  and  a  member  of  the  Kiijg's  Council  under  Sir  William 
Berkeley.  In  1605  he  superintended  under  royal  orders  the  build- 
ing of  a  fort  on  the  present  site  of  Fortress  Monroe;  and  here  he 
lost  his  life  repelling  an  attack  of  the  Dutch  navy  (166T).  Of  his 
four  sons,  the  male  Cary  descendants  of  the  elder,  Thomas,  if  any. 
are  unknown.  Those  of  Henry,  the  2d  son,  became  extinct  with 
his  grandson.  Col.  Archibald  Cary  of  Ampthill  (Old  Iron).  Wil- 
son Miles  Cary,  of  Baltimore,  represents  the  family  of  Col.  Miles 
Cary,  the  3d  son,  who  was  Surveyor-General  of  Virginia,  Burgess 
for  Warwick  (169-3-1699),  one  of"  the  revisers  of  the  Code  of  1705, 
and  Royal  Collector  of  Customs  for  York  River.  He  married  a 
great  heiress,  Mary,  daughter  of  Col.  Wm.  Wilson  :  hence  the  name 
Wilson,  which  the  eldest  son  has  borne  for  six  generations.  Of 
his  two  sons.  Miles,  the  younger,  died  unmarried.  Of  his  two 
daughters,  ^Mary  married  Joseph  Selden ;  hence  nearly  all  the 
Seldens  of  Virginia,  except  those  of  Xorfolk.  Anne  married  Col. 
Whiting,  of  Gloucester.  Col.  Wilson  Cary,  of  Ceeleys  and  Rich- 
neck  (the  former  estate  on  James  River  near  Hampton,  the  latter 
in  Warwick),  the  eldest  .son,  w^as  educated  at  William  -and  Mary 
College,  A^irginia,  and  at  Trinity  College,  Cambridge.  Ho  was  a 
gentleman  of  literary  culture,  presiding  magistrate  and  county- 
lieutenant  of  Elizabeth  City.  Wilson  Miles  Cary,  of  Baltimore, 
has  a  remnant  of  his  fine  library.  He  died,  aged  seventy,  before 
the  Revolution.     Besides  an  only  son  he  left  four  daughters:   1. 


46  Genealogy, 

Sarah,  wife  of  George  Wm.  Fairfax.  She  it  was  who  inspired 
Washington  with  siuli  an  ardent  passion.  2.  Mary,  wife  of 
Edward  Ambler,  of  Jamestown ;  hence  all  the  A'irginia  Amblers, 
one  of  whom  was  the  wife  of  Chief  Justice  Mfirshall.  3.  Anne, 
who  married  Robert  Carter  Nicholas,  the  treasurer,  and  was  the 
mother  of  fonr  distinguished  sons.  4.  Elizabeth,  married  Bryan, 
younger  brother  of  George  Wm.  Fairfax.  She  is  the  ancestress 
of  all  the  Fairfaxes  of  this  family  in  Virginia.  The  only  son.  Col. 
Wilson  ]Miles  Cary,  of  Ceelys,  Richneck,  Hampton,  Williamsburg, 
and  Carysbrook,  Fluvanna,  to  which  latter  place  he  moved  about 
1812,  and  where  he  died  in  1817  at  the  age  of  eighty-four,  was  a 
man  of  great  wealth,  and  prominent  in  the  Legislature  and  Church 
assemblies  of  his  time.  There  is  an  amusing  anecdote  of  him  in 
Bishop  Meade's  "  Old  Churches,"  A'ol.  I.  p.  50.  By  his  wife  Sarah, 
daughter  of  the  Hon.  John  Blair  and  sister  of  Judge  Blair  (TJ. 
S.  Supreme  Court),  he  left  an  only  son  and  three  daughters,  viz: 
Mrs.  Thomas  Xelson,  Jr.,  Mrs.  Wm.  Peachy,  and  Mrs.  Ferdinand 
Fairfax,  all  distinguished  for  their  great  beauty.  The  son,  AVilson. 
who  died  long  before  his  father  in  1793,  aged  thirty-three,  married 
Jean,  daughter  of  Dabney  Carr.  and  niece  of  Thomas  Jefferson. 
Of  this  marriage  there  were  two  sons  and  one  daughter  (Mrs. 
Newsum).  The  sons  were  Wilson  Jefferson  Cary  and  Col.  Miles 
Cary,  whose  family  is  now  represented  l)y  his  only  two  grandsons, 
Hunsdon  Cary,  of  Memphis,  Tenn.,  and  Wilson  ]\Iiles  Cary,  of 
Richmond.  Wilson  Jefferson  Cary,  the  eldest  son,  married  Vir- 
ginia, daughter  of  Thomas  ]\[ann  Randolph,  of  Tuckahoe,  whose 
children  M^ere  the  late  Wilson  Miles  Cary,  of  Baltimore,  and  ]\Iary 
Randolph  Cary,  who  married  Dr.  Orlando  Fairfax,  whose  son. 
Randolph  Fairfax,  is  the  subject  of  this  Memoir. 

DESCENT  FROM  POCAHONTAS. 

Pocahontas John  Rolfe, 

Thomas  Rolfe Miss  Poythress, 

Jane  Rolfe Robert  Boiling, 

John  Boiling Mary  Kennon, 

Jane  Boiling » Richard  Randolph, 

Mary  Randolph..     Archibald  Cary, 

Anne  Cary Thos.  Mann  Randolph, 

Virginia  Randolph AVilson  Jefferson  Cary, 

Mary  Randolph  Cary Orlando  Fairfax, 

R.vNiHiT.nr  Fairfax. 

The  author  is  under  .special  obligations  to  ^Ir.  Wilson  utiles 
Cary,  of  Baltimore,  laM-yer  and  litterateur,  and  the  living  repre- 
sentative i)f  a  Inna'  litie  of  historical  anr-ostors. 


